Stainless steal: Bluffton thieves nab dozens of pricey appliances from vacant new townhomes
A new community of rental homes in the Bluffton area lost thousands of dollars in amenities after thieves dragged dozens of shiny appliances out of unoccupied units, according to the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies arrived around 7 a.m. on Sept. 16 to Saddlewood at Pepper Hall, a newly opened tract of townhomes off U.S. 278 just north of Bluffton town limits. A construction supervisor told police eight units had been broken into, all of which were “in their final stages” with recently finished paintwork, according to an incident report.
The unknown suspects got into the vacant townhomes by forcing the windows open and breaking the plastic locks, which allowed them to climb inside and unlock the front doors, the report says. In two homes, only Whirlpool washers and driers were stolen. For each of the remaining units, police said the thieves nabbed washers and dryers as well as Frigidaire-brand refrigerators and ovens, amounting to 28 stolen appliances in total.
Officers on scene noted scratches on the townhomes’ floors from the appliances “being dragged out of the house,” the report says. The flooring also received water damage from leaky water lines, which were severed so the thieves could carry away the machines.
Beaufort County police had not made any arrests in connection with the large-scale theft as of Tuesday afternoon, according to sheriff’s office spokesperson Sgt. Danny Allen. He was not sure if the perpetrators were captured on surveillance cameras but said investigators were waiting for additional information from property management, including the serial numbers of the stolen appliances.
Because painters inside the units had not reported anything strange the previous week, the supervisor told police he believed the crime occurred the weekend of Sept. 13. Allen said investigators had not yet nailed down a timeframe.
“These people could have had all the time in the world,” Allen said. He added that construction sites and newly developed properties are especially vulnerable to theft due to a lack of adequate security measures and the large number of workers who come and go from the areas, making it difficult to tell when someone is trespassing to commit a crime.
A representative from Saddlewood’s leasing office contacted via phone Tuesday declined to answer questions about the incident, including how much in losses the apartments incurred from the theft and the damage.
The Saddlewood townhomes are part of Pepper Hall, a massive residential development still in progress across from Hampton Parkway. When construction concludes, the land will be home to over 100 single-family homes and hundreds of rental units, with eventual plans to incorporate commercial space into the neighborhood. Units are available for lease at Saddlewood and Waterside, a pet-friendly apartment complex located next door.
Plans for the project were contentious due to the land’s position along the Okatie River. Approved by the Beaufort County Council in 2020, the finalized public-private agreement required the county to pay $1.5 million to build an 18-acre passive park on the property, among other stipulations.
This story was originally published September 24, 2024 at 4:19 PM.
