South Congaree, SC (Paul Kirby) – South Congaree Police Chief Josh Shumpert said that some good detective work and a little luck helped jail two thieves who had broken into some laundry equipment at the laundromat on Main Street early Tuesday. The police took the two into custody in less than 24-hours.
Very early Tuesday morning, a man and a juvenile male forced open some machines and took the money from inside. The were caught on video surveillance and the department’s officers recognized them as two individuals they had dealt with before. Chief Shumpert said they ran the suspect’s name through the national crime database and found that the adult, James DeJesus, had a warrant from the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department for grand larceny. The question was, where was DeJesus currently laying his head.
The chief and several of his officers began checking with family and his normal haunts around town when a bit of luck came into play. DeJesus called the police department to inquire about recovering a vehicle that had been impounded. Chief Shumpert told him if he’d just drop by the station, they’d be glad to help him out!
Chief Shumpert said that later Tuesday, DeJesus showed up riding a moped that was pieced together with duct tape and bailing wire. They showed him inside, let him get comfortable, and they then hooked him up on the county’s warrant. They also advised him he had been caught on video with his buddy doing a little afterhours banking by taking the change from the machines at the laundromat. He and the juvenile have since been booked into the Lexington County Detention Center.
The pair will soon face a bond hearing.
