In recent weeks, eight downtown Newberry businesses have been broken into, there have also been four attempted break-ins downtown.
NEWBERRY — The City of Newberry Police Department is investigating a string of break-ins that took place downtown and near the outskirts of the City of Newberry.
According to Chief Kevin Goodman, there have been eight break-ins in downtown Newberry and four attempted break-ins. However, he said this weekend they had two more break-ins on the outskirts of town, one on College Street and the other on Fair Street.
“I think it is just random businesses, kind of sporadic, (they are) seeing where they can get in and taking what they can lay their hands on,” Goodman said. “The assumption we are working on is it is the same person, that is not concrete, but the premise we are working on is that we are dealing with an individual.
Until this past Friday, Goodman said they did not have any video that was helping them narrow down the time frame of when the break-ins were occurring. He said they were initially working on the time frame from when the business closed, to when they opened the next morning. However, he said they have potentially been able to narrow that time down based on the more recent break-ins.
Since the break-ins have occurred, Goodman said they have beefed up patrols downtown.
“Friday night alone we had five extra people out on foot and in cars. We are thinking, because it was such a heavy presence of us downtown Friday and Saturday, may have pushed him out, meaning the College Street and Fair Street areas. That is what we are thinking,” Goodman said.
Goodman said this individual is using a crowbar to pry his way into the businesses and that they feel this individual is scoping out the businesses before he goes.
“On Fair Street, he tore off the surveillance camera, took it off with the crowbar,” he said. “Downtown, he is purposely dodging cameras, he either knows where the cameras are or he is looking out for them and making sure his face is not seen on camera.”
While the officers are searching for this individual, Goodman said the biggest thing business owners can do is lock up their building and make sure any valuables are taken out of the business at night or locked in a safe.
He also said it would be helpful if they had access to trail cams or video cameras.
“If they could set that up in their store when they leave at night, if someone gets in, that helps out a lot. Had one business owner ask if it was okay if her husband put up a trail camera in the store, and we definitely encourage that,” Goodman said. “We spoke with the Regional Organization Crime Enforcement Center last week, they are sending us five trail cameras as well. We will strategically place (the cameras) downtown, along with the ones we already have. The more we have, the more we can be strategic in placing them out.”
If anyone sees something suspicious, Goodman encourages you to call 803-321-1010 and pass the information on. If it is after hours, ask to speak to the lieutenant on duty, if it is normal work hours, ask for Captain Kennedy or Lt. Meetze, or any investigator if Kennedy and Meetze are not available, Goodman said.
“If they see something going on right then, 911 is best. No one confront him, best thing to do, for the witness, stay out of sight, but keep that person in sight. Give the best description possible and relay that information to dispatch,” he said.
Goodman also requested that if anyone has cameras in the downtown area and investigators have not been by, give them a call so they can get the video.
Reach Andrew Wigger @ 803-768-3122 or on Twitter @TheNBOnews.