NEWBERRY — Chief Roy McClurkin believes they have apprehended a suspect who has been breaking into multiple vehicles in the City of Newberry.
John Willie Joiner, 47, of 920 Gilder Street in Newberry was taken into custody on Saturday for theft from a motor vehicle and resisting arrest.
Saturday evening dispatch received a call from a Main Street address of an active vehicle break in. The complainant said she noticed the over head light on in her mother’s car and after a closer look, she saw a man with a camouflaged jacket and short dark hair in the passenger side of the car going through the console.
After she yelled at the subject, he yelled something back and took off running toward the Downtown area, the incident report stated.
A short time later another officer saw Joiner, who matched the description of the subject, at the Scotchman on Nance Street.
The officer called out to Joiner, who then yelled “I didn’t do nothing,” and took off running.
The officer chased Joiner down McKibben Street, then across the Li’l Cricket parking lot. The chase continued across Nance Street, while officers continuously warned Joiner to stop. Once at the car wash, Joiner jumped up onto a cement platform and sat down. He wrapped his arms around a pole.
Officers told Joiner multiple times to get off the platform, which Joiner failed to do. At that time the officer grabbed Joiner by the left arm and performed a straight arm bar take down.
Joiner was placed in handcuffs.
A drive by verification was performed, at which point the complainant identified Joiner as the subject in her mother’s car. The owner of the car searched their vehicle to see if anything was taken, but nothing was found missing.
A SLED background check of Joiner shows a history of charges that include burglary, petit larceny, shoplifting and breaking into auto/tanks where fuel is stored.
“We think he (Joiner) is responsible for multiple vehicle break ins, the evidence is currently being processed,” McClurkin said.