Teen burglary suspect: ‘They gotta find me first straight up’
A 17-year-old burglary suspect on the run after allegedly stealing guns and ammunition from her parents’ home is taunting deputies on social media and daring officers to catch her.
Ryelee Hall used a four-letter expletive followed by the number 12 on her Facebook page Tuesday night; the phrase is meant to insult police, according to the slang reference Urban Dictionary. It was followed by this sentence: “they gotta find me first straight up.”
Hall is wanted on a second-degree burglary warrant after she and two unidentified men allegedly stole several semi-automatic rifles, handguns and ammunition from Hall’s parents’ University Park residence on July 26.
“The comments (Hall made on Facebook) were brought to our attention,” Capt. Bob Bromage, of the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office, said Thursday. “Obviously, we use all the tools at our disposal to find people.”
Bromage declined to comment on investigative strategies when asked by a reporter whether investigators use Facebook to locate suspects.
The burglars forcibly broke into the home through a back door, according to a Sheriff’s Office news release.
A surveillance camera recorded video of the break-in, helping deputies identify Hall.
She and her two accomplices, both African-American men, traveled in a dark-colored SUV with custom wheels.
With the assistance of the public, Sheriff's Office investigators identified one of the men as Kiyan Johnson, 19, of Ridgeland, a separate news release said.
A warrant for second-degree burglary was obtained, the release said.
The final suspect has yet to be identified, but is described as an African American in his late teens or early 20s.
Johnson and Hall are known to frequent Bluffton, Beaufort and areas of Jasper County, the release said. They are considered armed and dangerous, and residents should not approach them, the release said.
Anyone with information on their whereabouts may call 911 or Sgt. Doug Seifert at 843-255-3414.
Anonymous tips can be provided to Crime Stoppers at 1-888-CrimeSC.
Caitlin Turner: 843-706-8184, @Cait_E_Turner
This story was originally published July 28, 2016 at 10:29 AM with the headline "Teen burglary suspect: ‘They gotta find me first straight up’."