Thread: SC Sheriff: "This Is Biggest Robbery Ring To Hit This State"

Sheriff: "This Is Biggest Robbery Ring To Hit This State"


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Saluda, SC (WLTX) - Five suspects, seven counties, and more than 100 robberies: it's being called one of the biggest burglary rings in Midlands history.

Five suspects have been arrested on numerous charges in Saluda County. Stacy Walker and Tonnie Pace have been charges with multiple counts of 1st and 2nd degree Burglary 1st and Grand Larceny.

Jose Luis Medina Perez has been charged with receiving Stolen Goods and Unlawful Possession of a Firearm by an Illegal Alien.

Oliver Sandoval is charged with Possession of a Sawed off Shotgun and Unlawful Possession of a Firearm by an Illegal Alien. Alien Thomas Tolen is arrested on Drug Charges and Receiving Stolen Goods.

Deputies say some of the men would steal electronics, flat screen televisions and guns and bring them to a house in Saluda County. In turn, the items would be sold out of that same house.

Saluda County Sheriff Jason Booth says he's never seen anything like this crime in his time in office. The entire investigation began after officers made a traffic stop, finding numerous stolen guns.

"These folks would pull up to the front door at a residence. Use a watch, and be in-and-out in under thirty seconds. They were professionals."
Booth describes the five suspects as lifelong criminals.

"The scariest thing that I think viewers should know, is that they admitted to us that they went into houses at night, while the home owner was at home," said Booth.

The numbers stack up. Dozens of electronics, jewrely, flat screen tvs, and guns were confiscated.

"It certainly gives you a better piece of mind to know that they are behind bars," says Ty Bouknight, whose home was one of the ones hit. He says he was relieved to hear arrests had been made.

"Invading your privacy, invading the sanctity of your home, that's probably the worst part about it. Not what they got but what they stole from us in peace of mind," said Bouknight.

Booth believes that with the suspects histories' and the charges that are brought against them, they could be looking at life in prison.

"These guys are in jail. They won't be doing this stuff anymore. They are going to be going away for a long time," said Booth.

WTLX.com Columbia, SC

6 Supects Arrested After Multi-County Burglary Ring BustedSaluda County, SC --

March 22, 2012 Update
Saluda County Sheriff Jason Booth says his agency, along with the Greenwood County Sheriff's Office, has broken up a multi-county burglary ring.

Stacey Walker and Tonnie Price are charged with nearly 100
burglaries in Saluda County, Greenwood County, Newberry County, Lexington County, and Spartanburg County.

Sheriff Booth says Walker and Price broke into homes and mainly went after flatscreen TV's and guns.

Sheriff Booth says the investigation took about three weeks, and involved agencies from several other counties. He says it's that teamwork that helped crack the case.

"This is a great lick for us here. I'm glad we got them off the streets, so
people can sleep safe in their homes at night, knowing that these bad guys are in jail. But, the biggest thing is 5 law enforcement agencies working together.

It's not about who gets the credit, it's about putting the bad guys in jail," he said.

A total of 6 people are facing charges in the case. Walker and
Price are charged with multiple counts of Burglary 1st, Burglary 2nd, and Grand Larceny in the five couties already listed; Jose Luis–Medina Perez is facing charges of Receiving Stolen Goods and Unlawful Possession of a Firearm by an Illegal Alien; Oliver Sandoval is facing charges of Possession of a Sawed off Shotgun and Unlawful Possession of a Firearm by an Illegal Alien; Thomas Tolen is facing drug charges and charges of Receiving Stolen Goods in the town of Saluda; ElyshaD. Costilow is facing charges in Greenwood County.

Sheriff Booth says cases like this stress the importance of neighborhood watch programs.

WJBF.com