Police: Subcontrator Charged with Stealing $11K Rolex from Dead Man

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WOLO) — A subcontractor with the Richland County Coroner’s Office was charged with grand larceny after stealing from the deceased.

Authorities say 42-year-old Mitchell Melton manipulated the lock on the body bag to steal $11,000 Rolex watch off the wrist of a deceased male victim.

Melton, was arrested at a residence on Legrand Road just after 10:30 am on Wednesday, March 16.

Melton was a subcontractor who transported the deceased victim to the morgue

— Jennifer Ready (@JenniferWOLOTV) March 18, 2016

During a press conference Friday afternoon, Richland County Coroner Gary Watts said normally all valuable items are taken off at the scene but other circumstances prevented them from doing that in this case.

Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott stated that Melton was responsible for the victim’s body when the watch was stolen. Investigators later determined that Melton stole the victim’s watch while transporting him to the morgue.  

Sheriff Lott says Melton is not cooperating with them but they were able to recover the watch.

With the assistance of the Fairfield County Sheriff’s Office, investigators were able to locate the stolen watch on Belvedere Court, at a family member’s residence of Melton, Lott said.

Melton was taken to the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center.