As The Advertiser was going to press Tuesday, we learned from a family member of the victim in this incident that around 7:30 that morning a Merriwether woman was in the back of her house getting ready for work and heard a knock on her back door.  The relative related that the woman looked out of her window, saw a white male wearing a hoodie at her door, and called 911.  He then tried to open the door. Her two dogs, one being a large German Shephard, started barking and growling at the door and the man left the screened porch.  He went into the back yard where he and a black male backed a black Dodge truck up to an enclosed cargo trailer and hooked it to their vehicle.  The two then attempted to steal a John Deere tractor but were unsuccessful because it was chained to a post.  As all of this was occurring, the homeowner was on the phone with Sheriff’s Office dispatchers while watching out of her window and giving them a description of the men and vehicle.  The robbers left the drive headed towards McCormick County.  A deputy in the Merriwether area responding to the call caught up with the vehicle and gave chase.  McCormick County, Columbia County, and SC Highway Patrol were involved in the chase.  Law Enforcement officers from Columbia County set up a road block on Highway 28 near Evans to Locks Road and stopped the vehicle and arrested the thieves.  The Advertiser was told that there are outstanding warrants in other counties for these men for similar crimes.  Both suspects are reported to be from Aiken County and may be linked to a rash of other thefts and burglaries in Edgefield County.