SC detective gets a new beat: a boat

ANDERSON, S.C. (AP) — A wave of thefts along Hartwell Lake has prompted the Anderson County Sheriff’s Office to create its first-ever, full-time boat patrol.

The Anderson Independent-Mail reports (http://bit.ly/n2qLLm ) that Detective Rusty Ables will start patrolling the 300 miles of shoreline in the agency’s boat starting Monday.

Herb Burnham, president of the Lake Hartwell Association, says that’s good news. There have been more than 40 thefts and home burglaries on the lake since April.

Ables and other deputies have been sporadically patrolling the lake for the past few years, but this is the first time an officer has been assigned to the duty full-time.

Sheriff John Skipper says the patrol will not only deter crime, but can also assist boaters on the lake who may need emergency help.

___

Information from: Anderson Independent-Mail, http://www.andersonsc.com