Multi-agency effort nabs man in widespread cigarette theft

ORANGEBURG COUNTY, S.C. (WOLO) – A multi-agency effort resulted in an Orangeburg man being charged with stealing cigarettes from Midlands businesses, Orangeburg County Sheriff’s deputies announced.

“Each of these agencies had a piece to the puzzle,” Sheriff Leroy Ravenell said. “When we put them together, we were directed to this individual, Mr. John Adams.”

Ravenell said along with OCSO, the Orangeburg Department of Public Safety and the Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office were involved in the investigation that led to the arrest of the 46-year-old.

Deputies said the Fake Lane man has been charged by OCSO investigators with four counts of second-degree burglary, and three counts each of malicious injury to real property and petit larceny.

Adams bond was set Friday at $49,637 for the combined charges.

Both ODPS and CCSO are looking at possible charges in their jurisdictions.

OCSO investigators had been searching for a brown or gold colored SUV after a North Road business was burglarized on Christmas Eve. Security cameras caught the SUV circling around the business before its driver broke into the business where he removed electronics.

Adams is accused of three other burglaries, the sheriff said. In each instance, a convenience or discount store where cigarettes and other tobacco products were the target. In all, $1,450 worth of tobacco products were taken.

ODPS investigators had gotten a report of a vehicle that had not been returned to its owner. That vehicle was a gold Saturn Vue SUV.

Calhoun County Sheriff’s investigators expanded the search to their jurisdiction when a business was burglarized. Security camera footage showed a gold SUV being used in that incident.

Investigators said witnesses identified Adams as the man in the Calhoun County incident.

“This really was a joint effort on part of all of us,” Ravenell said. “The community, DPS and Calhoun County all came together and this is the result.”