Orangeburg deputies arrest duo accused of multiple crimes including burglary, grand larceny

Image:OCSO

Image: OCSO

Orangeburg,SC (WOLO)— According to the Orangeburg County Sheriff’s Office, a man recently released from prison is back behind bars accused of similar crimes.

33 year old Thomas Smith, faces multiple charges including one count of second-degree burglary, one count of third-degree burglary, one count of grand larceny, four counts of malicious injury to real property, criminal conspiracy, tampering with a vehicle and malicious injury to personal property.

34 year old Tabitha Weatherford, is also facing several charges including criminal conspiracy, grand larceny and third-degree burglary.

Deputies say Smith was on probation during the time of the alleged crimes after having pled guilty for his involvement in the theft of golf carts in 2018.

Around 6 p.m Wednesday deputies say a Santee man reported his Ford Ranger stolen from his property.

Neighbors described the suspects as a white male and white female they say they saw on the property along with a Ford Focus. According to officials, witnesses claim to have seen one walking away from a shed on the property carrying a bag taken from the shed.

Deputies say the same Ford Ranger stolen from the property was then used to steal a $50,000 boat from another Santee motel.

Then around 9 p.m. officials say a Virginia couple staying at a Santee hotel reported their $65,000 truck and camper rig stolen.

According to a report taken by deputies, early Thursday the owner of an auto repair shop along Highway 6 called 911 after seeing a truck with a utility trailer attached traveling toward Eutawville, when the same truck was suppose to be at his repair shop waiting to be fixed.

According to a warrant, during their investigation, Orangeburg County Sheriff’s discovered another car at the repair shop had been tampered with.

Authorities say a tracking device led OCSO investigators and officers with the Santee Police Department to a location where they found the truck and camper rig, the boat, and the Ford Ranger. Investigators located the truck they say was stolen from the repair shop a short time later.

Sheriff Leroy Ravenel  released a statement saying,

“This was just a non-stop crime spree of stealing and taking what he could take,” Ravenell said. “But it only lasted about 14 hours, and this after he just got out of jail.” adding “He hasn’t gotten the message yet that he’s not very good at stealing other people’s property,” the sheriff said. “But we’re more than happy to provide him with that message.”