Stolen vehicle, multiple car break-ins reported at May River Preserve in Pritchardville

Whoever did it even took the Disney DVDs.

Sometime between Thursday night and Friday morning in the May River Preserve community in Pritchardville, a car was stolen, four others were broken into and someone reportedly broke into a model home, according to Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office reports.

Some of the items stolen from the cars included prescription sunglasses, a digital camera, high-end flashlights and 20 Disney DVDs.

Some of those items were later recovered when the stolen car, a 2013 Mazda CX-9, was found Friday morning off New Riverside Drive near Alston Park in Bluffton. It had “collided with several trees,” according to sheriff’s office spokesperson Capt. Bob Bromage.

Other stolen items from the vehicle were found in the model home.

“The incidents are believed to be connected,” Bromage said Saturday. “It’s under investigation.”

There are no suspects at this time, he said.

The break-ins, which occurred at various locations along Daffodil Farm Road and Daffodil Farm Way in the community, were all reported to police between 7 a.m. and noon Friday. Some of the cars were unlocked, according to reports.

Inside the model home, officers found some non-functioning display candles that were damaged by someone trying to light them. And in the bathroom they found a wine bottle and a soda can that “was manipulated to use for smoking narcotics,” according to the report.

“We have, several times per year, multiple vehicles hit in one night,” Bromage said when asked if occurrences like this were common. “These folks are often looking for unlocked cars,” he said.

During the past four months, several instances of car break-ins have been reported to local law enforcement.

In November, someone rifled through six unlocked cars at Bay South Apartment in Beaufort.

In December, nine cars — three of which were unlocked — were pilfered at The Oaks at Broad River Landing in Burton.

In February, $1,600 dollars worth of property was stolen from three cars in the St. John’s Lutheran Church parking lot on Lady’s Island.

Bromage said it’s unknown if any past break-ins are related to those in May River Preserve.

“Remember to lock your vehicles,” Bromage said.

A message left with the May River Preserve office Saturday afternoon was not returned.

This story was originally published April 1, 2017 at 3:24 PM with the headline "Stolen vehicle, multiple car break-ins reported at May River Preserve in Pritchardville."