Thief ‘spooked’ before he could steal more than makeover supplies near Gardens Corner

A trail of makeup lead away from the van it was stolen from overnight Saturday near Gardens Corner, according to a Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office report.

The van was parked at a home on a small street off Charleston Highway overnight when a thief went through the glove box and center console of the unlocked vehicle, according to the report. A trail of beauty products — that had once been in a cosmetic bag in the center console — led down the driveway toward the street, presumably dropped while the thief ran away.

The homeowners told deputies they believe the thief “was likely spooked by something” before the suspect finished rummaging through the vehicle, according to the report. Several other valuable items were still inside, including birth certificates. The bag and stolen cosmetics were worth an estimated $300.

The theft occurred between about 10 p.m. Saturday and 12:15 p.m. Sunday, according to the report.

This story was originally published November 6, 2017 at 3:37 PM with the headline "Thief ‘spooked’ before he could steal more than makeover supplies near Gardens Corner."