SURFSIDE BEACH-Surfside Beach police arrested five men between the ages of 17-20 in connection with a string of car break-ins and stolen property early Monday morning.
Andy Christenson with Surfside Beach Police say officers searched along the Surfside Beach coastline and found a number of criminal activities. Police eventually caught up with the violators, some of whom fled on foot. Three of the five people were arrested near 8th Avenue North as they made themselves visible underneath a condominium complex. A short time later two additional people were taken into custody near the 3rd Avenue North beach access.
Christenson said thousands of dollars in damages and property have been recovered. Most of the property has been returned to their rightful owners.
"We were asleep and the police came and knocked on the door and they told us that our son's truck had been vandalized," said James Watson whose son's pick up truck was broken into through the passenger side window. He spent the day duct taping trash bags to the windowless car door.
"It's a little uneasy, I mean you just don't know what's going to happen, you come down here to go on vacation and on the first or second night here this happens," said Dallas Hall who o called police after he said he heard someone smashing a window early Monday morning.
Christenson said the suspects took navigation systems, cell phones and iPods from several parked cars over the weekend.
"One message we'd like to put out there is to please lock your doors, don't leave things of value in your vehicle and leave your vehicle unsecured," Christenson said.
Police say the five arrested will likely be charged with conspiracy to commit breaking and entering an automobile, possession of burglary tools, giving false information to police, and possession of marijuana.
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