Hospital reports possible theft of jewelry box containing $29,000 worth of items

The Cherokee County Sheriff's Office was asked to investigate an allegation that almost $29,000 in jewelry went missing after a Blacksburg woman's arrival at Upstate Carolina Medical Center emergency room last November.

According to a police report of information supplied by a hospital official, the Blacksburg woman told the hospital she was in possession of a jewelry box when she was brought there on Nov. 30 by emergency medical personnel, but that it did not come along with her when she was transferred to another facility.

A hospital official told police she first was made aware of the woman's claims on Dec. 3 and has since spoken with the woman several times about the matter. A police officer accompanying the Blacksburg woman and EMS workers at the time of her arrival allegedly gave the woman's jewelry box to an EMS worker to hold. An EMS worker told the hospital official she did not look in the box and placed it on the hospital's triage desk, between a computer and a blood pressure machine, according to the report.

Despite efforts to locate it, such a jewelry box has not been found.

Among the items reported missing are two custom Cross pendants with a combined replacement value of $10,000, and a moon and stars pendant with a replacement cost of about $6,900. The missing items also included a wedding band, a heirloom wedding ring, three gold chains and a platinum chain.

Vehicle recovered

Gaffney Police determined a car involved in a hit-andrun accident in the 600 block of Marion Avenue on Tuesday had been stolen from Spartanburg County.

Upon their arrival at the accident scene Tuesday evening, police were told the driver of one of the cars involved, a black 1999 Honda Accord, jumped out of his car and fled on foot. Police did a check on the car's license plate numbers and learned the vehicle was reported stolen. The owner of the stolen car was notified. The man driving the stolen vehicle was unknown at the time the report was filed.

Car reported stolen

A woman who left her disabled car outside a West Floyd Baker Boulevard store found it missing when she returned to the location Tuesday evening.

The 1996 Nissan Maxima had two flattened tires and was taken from the lot of 107 Walton Drive sometime between noon and 6:48 p.m. Tuesday, according to a report by Gaffney police. The car is valued at about $2,000.

Man arrested

Gaffney Police arrested a 21-year-old city man early Thursday morning for the alleged theft of copper from a power pole on Clary Street.

According to a police report, an officer was initially dispatched to Clary Street at about 2 a.m. Thursday regarding a report of a suspicious person near a power pole. Police said they subsequently found Ian Russell Kiernan, of 4th Street, standing in front of an Anthony Street residence.

Police allege that Kiernan had in his possession wire cutters and a mesh bag containing rolled-up copper grounding wire. Police allege Kiernan admitted to the theft of copper.

Car stripped

The Cherokee County Sheriff's Office recovered a vehicle that had been stolen out of Spartanburg, but not before a thief or thieves helped themselves to parts.

According to a police report, a sheriff's deputy was dispatched Saturday morning on a report of a suspicious vehicle in the area of Holly Grove Road in Blacksburg. The officer found the red 1998 Acura vehicle had been dismantled and was missing its seats, a front bumper and all four tires. Police reported a flashlight was found on the ground near the stolen car, and it was taken into evidence.

Pallets taken

Ingle's Market on West Third Street in Gaffney reported to police the theft of wooden pallets.

A witness at the store told the Cherokee County Sheriff 's Office someone in a small orange truck loaded up the truck with pallets and drove away about 8:10 p.m. Wednesday.

Police said the pallets are valued at about $400.

Home burglarized

A burglar who entered a Blacksburg home made off with a hunting rifle and a Nintendo Wii video game system, according to a report at the Cherokee County Sheriff's Office.

Someone gained entry to the home on Quinn Road through a bedroom window sometime between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. Wednesday.

The stolen gun, described in a police report as a 7mm rifle, is valued at $375 while the Nintendo game system is valued at $250. Also reported stolen was $100 in coins.

Ministry targeted

Word of Truth Ministries on Sims Road in Blacksburg will have to replace two air conditioning units that were damaged beyond repair by a copper thief, according to a report at the Cherokee County Sheriff's Office.

Sometime between 1 p.m. on Jan. 20 and 10:30 a.m. Saturday, police said an unknown thief damaged two air conditioning units outside the building in the 200 block of Sims Road. One unit was stripped of copper pipe and wire while the other unit was not stripped, but still was damaged beyond repair.

Police said the two units are estimated to cost $6,050.