Okatie man claims competitor stole GPS filled with fossil dive locations

An Okatie man told the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office that GPS equipment was stolen from his boat earlier this week and that another fossil collector could have been the thief.

The man told police the GPS, priced at about $500, could provide someone a $100,000 annual salary since it logged 140 dive sites used to collect fossils.

Collecting fossils is a recreation for the Okatie man, he told deputies. Yet, another collector aiming to illegally sell the fossils has been following him in search of dive sites, he said.

The man told police this particular competitor has been trying to follow him to dive sites nearly daily.

The only thing stolen from the boat was the GPS, the man told police. He said the boat was filled with other valuable dive equipment that was left behind.

This story was originally published October 21, 2017 at 6:07 PM with the headline "Okatie man claims competitor stole GPS filled with fossil dive locations."