Elderly couple robbed by 'home improvement'con artists

The Cherokee County Sheriff's Office is investigating a Thursday afternoon incident in which an alleged home improvement contractor distracted an elderly couple while an apparent accomplice stole money from their home.

The incident on Piney Knob Road occurred at about 3:45 p.m. An unknown white male about 6-feet 5-inches tall, weighing about 250 pounds and appearing to be about 65 years old, knocked on the door and asked to measure the couple's house for unsolicited home improvements, police said.

While the man led the 84- year-old woman and her 87- year-old husband to a rear room, another person apparently came into the home and removed cash from the woman's purse.

Police said the suspects were driving a black car.

Shotgun stolen

A residence in the Kings Creek area of the county was burglarized Tuesday and the homeowner reported the theft of a shotgun.

The Cherokee County Sheriff's Office said someone pried open a rear door on the home on Wilderness Trail on Tuesday between 6:30 a.m. and 4:20 p.m. Taken was a 12-gauge Mossberg Maverick pump shotgun valued at about $180.

Car stolen

Gaffney Police reported the theft of a car from Camellia Circle sometime between Tuesday night and Wednesday morning.

The car owner said she found her car missing when she went to leave for work early Wednesday, according to police. A spare key for the car also was missing from her home. The car is a burgundy 1996 Chevrolet Caprice with tinted windows. It is valued at about $4,000.

Hit and run

Gaffney Police said a woman's 2006 Saturn sustained $250 in damage when someone struck it in a parking lot and fled the scene Wednesday afternoon.

Witnesses to the incident told police the driver of a burgundy vehicle struck the parked car in the lot of Belk Department Store, West Floyd Baker Boulevard, and then fled towards Interstate 85. Witnesses could not give police a tag number on the hit and run driver's car.

Car keyed

A car parked on West Rutledge Avenue sustained an estimated $800 in damage last Thursday when an unknown person scratched it with a key or other object.

The 2007 Suzuki Forenza was parked in the 500 block. The incident occurred sometime between 1:30 a.m. and 2 p.m.

Car stolen

Gaffney Police are on the lookout for a 1995 Oldsmobile that was stolen from Gettys Drive last Thursday.

The vehicle was taken from the 100 block sometime between 1 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. The car is valued at about $1,600.

Teen charged

Gaffney Police filed an arrest warrant against a 17- year-old Gaffney man accused of a Jan. 9 strongarm robbery.

Police claim Lee Edward Tate Jr. of East Oneal Street knowingly took money from another man by force at Second Street and 1st Avenue.

Copper stolen

A North Limestone Street business reported to Gaffney Police that someone removed the copper lines to its heating unit sometime between Jan. 7 and Jan. 10.

The damage to the heat pump at National Finance at 405 N. Limestone Street, is estimated at about $450.

Truck break-in

An Easley man's work vehicle was broken into outside the Holiday Inn Express on Winslow Avenue sometime between Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, according to Gaffney police.

The thief or thieves broke a door lock to get inside the vehicle, owned by Campbell Inc., and took a GPS navigation unit, a business card holder with 1,200 business cards, and a file cabinet. Theft losses amounted to about $550 while the door damage is estimated at $1,000.

Sleepy intruder

A Lee Street woman told Gaffney Police last week she found her front door kicked in and a man sleeping in her home.

Police said the burglar fled from the scene before their arrival. The incident happened in the 200 block of Lee Street late Wednesday evening.

Motor, pistols taken

A Gaffney woman reported to police that someone took several items from her properties on Dogwood Drive and South Petty Street, including a Mercury boat motor and two pistols.

The thefts occurred between Dec. 28 and Jan. 8, according to a police report. Someone also punctured a tire on the woman's car. Theft and damage losses are estimated at $1,200.

Truck vandalized

The Cherokee County Sheriff's Office reported a truck sustained about $888 in damage when someone keyed its paint.

The damage to the truck, a 2004 Chevrolet Silverado extended cab, occurred while it was parked at 100 Timken Road between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. Thursday.

Warrants issued

Gaffney police filed 18 arrest warrants for a 26-year-old woman who allegedly forged 18 different checks between Oct. 5, 2007 and Nov. 14, 2007.

Each of the warrants charges Heather Ann Ellis of Wilkinsville Highway with forgery. The warrants allege Ellis wrote checks that were being drawn on another person's account to several businesses including Eastside Saveway, Dollar General, Food Lion, the Gaffney Board of Public Works, Tyler Home and Ingle's Market. The 18 checks total $1,373.78, according to the warrants.

Checkpoint arrest

A 22-year-old man was arrested on a drug charge at a license checkpoint late Tuesday at Limestone and 6th Street, according to the Cherokee County Sheriff's Office.

Worth Franklin Jackson, of Ballfield Road, was arrested for possession with intent to deliver suspected marijuana.

According to police, Jackson and another person entered the license checkpoint location at about 11:35 p.m. Police said they found clear baggies of a green plant-like material believed to be marijuana that weighed about 1.6 ounces.

A second person named in the report as being with Jackson was not arrested.

Man accused

Gaffney Police filed an arrest warrant for a 46-year-old city man accused of a Jan. 4 burglary at a Limestone Street business.

Police claim Vernon Eugene Scates Jr. of North Limestone Street entered 403 N. Limestone St. on Jan. 4 with intent to commit the crime of larceny. The business at that address, Dee Tees, previously reported the break-in and theft of various items including copper, electrical wire and a ladder.

Truck parts stolen

Almost $5,000 in truck parts were reported stolen last week from a Hyatt Street property, according to the Cherokee County Sheriff's Office.

Taken were a radiator and a truck door. The thefts occurred in the 400 block of Hyatt Street.