Horry County neighborhood site of burglary and home invasions

SOCASTEE -- Horry County police are looking for a person or persons who've targeted homes on Plantation Road near Socastee High school; there were two home invasions and a burglary, reported within days of one another.

The first was a burglary on Feb. 1 at 106 Plantation Road According to a police report, the thief or thieves took cameras and laptops. Then four days later a woman at 208 Plantation reported to police that home invaders put a gun to her head and took her wallet.

The next day, which was last Saturday night, the police report stated that three suspects broke into an apartment at 206 Plantation, pulled guns, and took a bag of medicine from a victim. No one was hurt in any of the crimes and police have not made any arrests. Police said the victims were not able to give clear descriptions of the suspect or suspects because they were wearing masks.

And police said because they don't have any leads, it is difficult for them to say whether the last home, the home invasion in which hundreds of pills were reported stolen, was the target all along. Police said as a result of the three incidents, they have increased patrols in the area.

But Beverly Clodfelter, who also lives on Plantation Road, said she has not seen more officers, but she sure would like to. "More police presence, because thieves and crooks and dope dealers don't like to have police officers riding up and down the road all the hours of the night and more people being aware of what's going on." Clodfelter said she's been aware of what's been going on in her neighborhood since she moved there in 1996.

But lately, the woman who said she used to welcome people a neighborhood with little to no crime, said in the last five to seven years, the place has changed.

Clodfelter said she when found out about the reports of two home invasions and one burglary in her neighborhood in the same week, she was concerned out being outside alone. "We need more police officers, even if you don't do anything but ride through, if you see somebody when you ride though at three o'clock in the morning, stop and pull them over and say hey bub what are you doing, where's your dog, have you got a cat our here you're looking for or something, that way if they’re out walking around at three in the morning, then they have a reason and that’s fine.”

Michael Barna and his wife said they were happy with their home of nearly ten years in Cimerron Plantation, but after a burglary happened across the street, they realized the neighborhood wasn't the same. Barna said, "After this happened here we've been sort of like paying more attention to people walking through the area, because there are a lot of people that walk through. I was very nervous, you know I mean it's not a comfortable feeling, I’ve never gone through it myself where I’ve actually had anybody come in to the house and rob me, but I imagine it’s an uncomfortable feeling.”

If you have any information about what happened, you are urged to call the Horry County Police Department at 248-1520.