Crime & Safety

Rash of Car Break-Ins Reported in Oconee

The Oconee County Sheriff's Office urges residents to always lock their cars and remove all valuables.

Lock your car doors and don't leave valuables inside, especially in plain view.

Over the last several weeks, the has received numerous reports of car break-ins from around the county.

Three entering autos and one theft happened in Townside and four cars were hit in the Rolling Glen subdivision in Bishop, Chief Deputy Lee Weems reported. Five vehicles were entered in Southwind Manor and two in Whitlow Creek subdivisions. Some of the incidents may be related, he said on Tuesday.

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In the Lake Welbrook area, there have been eight reports of entering auto, a golf cart theft, and several cars that were egged.

"Lake Welbrook is the only place where cars where egged, and it is possible that the egging is something completely separate from the thievery," Weems said.

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Investigators are following leads, he added.

In recent Facebook threads, Weems has addressed concerns about the break-ins.

"The common theme appears to be someone walking through a neighborhood and rummaging through unlocked cars, but there have been a few busted windows," he wrote on Monday.

In response to a poster's question on July 10 about car break-ins off Daniells Bridge Road, Weems said many of the vehicles had been left unlocked.

On Sunday, the Sheriff's Office sent out the following message on its Facebook page:

"Please, please lock your vehicles and remove valuables from them. We have had several instances of someone going through neighborhoods during the night and rummaging through unsecured vehicles and stealing items. We have also had an instance of a window getting busted out to get an item. Please do not hesitate to call 911 if you see unusual activity in your neighborhood."


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