Swansea, SC (Paul Kirby) – Swansea police officers are investigating a car theft that occurred at the Sunoco gas station on South Main Street in the town of Swansea. According to Swansea Police Chief Cliff Hayes, the incident is being handled as a motor vehicle theft. The car was taken around 8:00 p.m. Friday.
According to a customer who was in the business at the time, the owner of the vehicle came into the store and when he went outside after making a purchase, his vehicle was gone. The store was equipped with video surveillance cameras that may be able to provide crucial footage that would help Swansea’s investigators catch the thief. No photos or video has been released yet and the decision to do so will rest with the chief. Often, officers can quickly look at video on the businesses' system, but getting the video off that system is not easy and sometimes takes time. In past cases, video experts from SLED have been crucial in that effort.
Law enforcement agencies across Lexington County have been working diligently to get the word out not to leave your keys in your car or leave it running while you go into a business. It’s also not a good idea to leave your car running and unlocked while you let it warm up in the driveway during cold snaps. Thieves watch for these situations and have been taking advantage of them all over the county.
If you have any information that can assist the police in this investigation, please call Swansea’s dispatch at (803) 785-2521. You can also make tips through Crimestoppers at 1-888-CRIME SC or on their website at midlandscrimestoppers.com.
