Kidnapping/Armed Robbery in Johnston

The Edgefield County Sheriff’s Office responded to a kidnapping, armed robbery, and burglary at a home on Hardy Place Road in Johnston, May 15. According to the ECSO report, shortly after the homeowner returned home, she heard a knock at her door, but when she looked out of a bedroom window she did not see anyone.  However, when she went to look out of another window, she saw what she described as a black male wearing a black hoodie and carrying an assault rifle entering her Chevy Suburban.  She also stated that she saw another black male, this one wearing a gray hoodie, with a handgun.  Both men ended up forcing their way into the residence by kicking in the front door.  The woman stated that the man in the black hoodie pointed his gun at the heads of her and her children and told them to “get on the ground.”  A third man, who wore a red hoodie, entered the home and helped the suspect in the gray hoodie remove items from the residence.  Among the items stolen from the home were 8 pairs of shoes, cash, jewelry, 2 iphones, a Phillips TV, and a Playstation 4.  The stolen items were estimated to be worth over $4,500.

There were no reports of physical injuries related to this crime.  ECSO deputies secured the scene upon arrival, and the ECSO is investigating this matter.

Firearms Reported Stolen in 2 Separate Incidents

The Edgefield County Sheriff’s Office received 2 separate reports of firearms being stolen the week of May 13.  The first report was made May 15 by a citizen who believes his handgun was stolen from the dash of his vehicle while he was at Greg’s Gas Plus on Martintown Road in the North Augusta area of Edgefield County.  The man stated that he had seen his firearm in the dash of his vehicle earlier in the day, but after he returned from the gas station, where he stated he left his windows down and observed a man he described as acting strangely behind his vehicle, he noticed his handgun was missing.  The missing firearm is described as a Ruger SR1911 .45 ACP estimated to be worth $750.

The second theft was reported May 18 to the ECSO.  In that incident, a resident of the 200 block of Pine Valley Drive in Edgefield stated that he returned home to find a kitchen window opened. He stated that as he walked through the home, he observed the following firearms along with about $100 in change to have been stolen: a brown, black, and silver Kimber .45 pistol, a black and silver Marlin semi-automatic .22 caliber rifle, and a black .45 caliber Judge pistol. The firearms were said to be worth nearly $2000.

The ECSO is investigating both of these crimes.