Headline News
Sheriff David Taylor is tlanked by law enforcement officials from Cherokee County, Spartanburg County and Pacolet as he talks about the arrests. In the foreground is a brass head stone vases and pieces of scrap metal from the stolen vases.
Six people arrested in thefts of head stone vases, air conditioning units
Six people have been arrested on charges stemming from the theft of head stone vases from cemeteries in Jonesville and Pacolet, as well as air conditioning units in Pacolet and Cherokee County.
Sheriff David Taylor said the arrests demonstrate a direct correlation between thefts and the area’s drug problem.
“The people are walking around, looking for enough to steal to buy their crack rock for the day,” he said during a press conference that also included law enforcement officers from Cherokee County, Spartanburg County and Pacolet.
Arrested were:
• Michael Shane Hill, 33, of 990 N. Highway 150, Pacolet, charged in Union County with two counts of obtaining signature under false pretenses, three counts of transporting stolen non-ferrous metals and two counts of desecration of human burial grounds. He is charged in Cherokee County with four counts of grand larceny and one count of malicious damage to property. He is charged in Pacolet with eight counts of obtaining non-ferrous metals unlawfully, one count of malicious injury to a place of worship, seven counts of removal of a memorial marker and two counts of grand larceny.
• Brittany Paige Wright, 19, of 4460 Old Pacolet Road, Spartanburg, charged in Union County with one count of transporting stolen non-ferrous metal; in Spartanburg County with four counts of grand larceny and one count of malicious damage to property; and in Pacolet with one count of grand larceny.
• James Douglas Upton, 28, of 2175 Upton Road, Spartanburg, charged in Cherokee County with two counts of grand larceny.
• Bobby Dean Dimsdale, 57, of 123 Lybrand St., Jonesville, charged in Union County with one count of receiving stolen goods.
Kenneth Ray Davis and Jessica Lynn Davis, both of 263 Bryant Road Pacolet, turned themselves in to Cherokee County authorities this morning and will be charged with the thefts of air conditioning units at several churches.
At least 30 head stone vases were taken from graves at Jonesville Memorial Gardens and Floyd’s Pacolet Chapel. The estimated replacement cost of the markers is $200-$500 each. Air conditioning units were stolen from the Church of God in Pacolet, as well as from Fairview Baptist Church, Battlefield Chapel, New Mount Zion Church, Knuckles Chapel and White Plains Baptist Church in Cherokee County.
The cases were unrelated until Hill tried to sell scrap brass at Southeastern Converters in Chesnee. Employees there identified the material as being from head stone vases and contacted the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Department. Authorities there had reports of thefts and contacted other agencies in the area.
The scrap metal Hill tried to sell was worth about $11; the stolen vases are worth as much as $9,000.
Taylor and Cherokee County Sheriff Steve Mueller credit the cooperation between agencies as the reason the case was solved.
Posted May 18, 2012
Officer Al Griffin talks with John Johnson (in truck) and Barry Pressley, who brought Johnson to Union while Amy Howell, a passerby, listens.
Dog dies; local groomer arrested
By BRIAN WHITMORE
A Union dog groomer was arrested Sunday afternoon on animal cruelty charges.
Shelly Vinson, 32, of 6000 Maidstone Drive, Boiling Springs, was charged with two counts of ill treatment to animals. She was arrested by Sergeant Dell Mitchell with the Union Public Safety Department at a relative's house in Buffalo.
John Johnson of Whitmire said that two weeks ago he took his 2-year old border collie to Classy Pet Grooming on the Duncan By-pass for a trim. He said he became sick, had a stroke on May 2 and was in the hospital until May 7. Johnson said he tried to contact Vinson during his illness, but was unsuccessful.
Johnson returned to Classy Pet Grooming on May 8 with his friend, Barry Pressley. The business was closed, but he looked through a window and saw his dog lying dead in a kennel. He called the police.
“I can't believe it,” said Johnson. “We were very close. He was a good dog.”
PSO Al Griffin responded and was able to talk with Vinson by phone. Vinson said she was at the business earlier in the day and took Johnson's dog outside on a leash. She said the dog got away from her and ran down a hill beside the building.
Vinson said she tried to contact Johnson's sister, called Triangle Veterinary Clinic, Animal Control and public safety about the missing dog. She said her two dogs kept going down the hill and coming back to her. She said she followed them and found Johnson's dog dead in the bushes.
Vinson said she carried the dog back to the building, put it in the kennel and turned the air conditioner on low so it wouldn't stink inside the building.
Vinson told Griffin that she was out of town and wasn't coming to the business. Chief Sam White arrived at the scene and along with Griffin entered the building with a key. They noticed the conditions of the building were unsanitary and the border collie was dead in a kennel. Investigators processed the scene and took over the investigation.
Police disposed of the dead animal at Johnson's request. Police estimate the value of the dog at $300. Two shih tzu dogs found inside the building were transported to the Union County Animal Control building, where their owner later claimed them. Two other dogs in an outside kennel also were taken to Animal Control.
One of the warrants against Vinson deals with the border collie and the other with the conditions in which the other two dogs were found.
Published May 14, 2012. For more local news, buy our newspaper.
