by Leah Justice
A multi-jurisdiction cooperation resulted in the arrests of two suspects from Columbus accused of breaking into several storage building units in both Polk County and Campobello, S.C.
The Campobello Police Department discovered a vehicle recently leaving a storage building unit. Officers spoke with the individuals and discovered they had broken into the storage units. The Campobello Police Department arrested Cassius Abril and Tracy Rollins and transported them to the Spartanburg County, S.C. Detention Center.
Similar break-ins in Polk County had also been occurring so the Polk County Sheriff’s Office and the Tryon and Columbus Police Departments followed up with information received from Campobello and also arrested Abril and Rollins.
The Polk County Sheriff’s Office charged Abril, 43, of Lynn Road, Columbus, with two counts of felony breaking and entering, two counts of felony larceny after breaking and entering, felony obtain property by false pretense and conspire to commit felony breaking and entering/larceny, according to sheriff reports.
Rollins, 38, of Lynn Road, Columbus was charged with felony breaking and entering, felony larceny after breaking and entering, felony larceny, conspire to commit felony larceny, felony obtaining property by false pretense and conspire to commit felony breaking and entering/larceny, according to sheriff reports.
In total, there were seven different locations of storage buildings there were broken into in three separate counties, according to the sheriff’s office. It is currently unknown exactly how many storage units involved. Law enforcement is still working with storage building owners to see if more units were broken into but not yet reported.
“This was a case of good police work and cooperation among all the agencies involved, not only here in Polk County but from South Carolina as well,” said Polk County Sheriff Donald J. Hill.
Abril received an $88,000 secured bond and as of Tuesday was still in custody. His first appearance in court was scheduled for Sept. 3.
Rollins received a $40,000 secured bond and was still being held in custody as of Tuesday, according to the sheriff’s office. Rollins’ next court appearance was also scheduled for Sept. 3.
The case is still under investigation with more charges and arrests expected, according to the sheriff’s office.