Police blotter
The following accounts were taken from reports filed with the Columbia County Sheriff's Office.
Van attacked
A Harlem woman traveling with five of her grandchildren recently told deputies someone attacked her van with tree limbs.
Anita Cartin Myers, 48, of 3900 block of Wrightsboro Road, Harlem, was traveling south on Wilkins Road, Grovetown, when her van approached the stop sign at Wrightsboro Road when her 1989 Ford Aerostar van was struck with several objects that appeared to be tree limbs, a Columbia County Sheriff's Office incident report stated.
Myers told deputies the limbs were thrown at the vehicle but it was too dark to see who or how many people were responsible, the report stated.
The limbs caused $700 damage including a broken windshield, broken turn signal and damaged front fender.
Brazen burglars
A Martinez home was broken into by bold burglars who kicked in the front door to get inside the residence.
Michael James Sheldon, 55, of 320 Baston Road, returned home to find someone had kicked down his front door and ransacked inside of the home, the Columbia County Sheriff's Office incident report stated.
Sheldon discovered the burglars had taken a tape deck, CD player, tuner/receiver, VCR, 9-mm Baretta handgun and an unknown amount of quarters, totaling over $1,000. The burglars had left through the same door they kicked in, the report stated.
Peeping Tom
A Martinez man recently reported a peeping Tom that has been an ongoing problem.
Stephan James Kloman, 45, of 262 Hillwood Court, discovered an unknown person peeping through his windows into his home, a Columbia County Sheriff's Office incident report stated.
According to Kloman, the peeper has been an ongoing problem at the residence.
Speakers stolen
Burglars hit a local limousine service, but did not break into the luxury cars. Instead, they struck the owner's vehicle.
William Clinton Messer, 30, owner of A Perfect Limousine, noticed glass around his 4-door white Ford Excursion at his home and the business address, 4011 Enterprise Court, Martinez, a Columbia County Sheriff's Office incident report stated.
Messer discovered someone had broken the rear sunroof window and took four speakers valued at $1,000.
Gas pumper breaks pump
A recent customer at Pumpkin Center Convenience Store left the gas pump in no shape to serve other customers.
Samuel Scott Derasmi, 43, clerk at the store, got a call from a man attempting to use pump No. 1. The man said the pump was not functioning properly. Derasmi advised him to use another pump, which he used, paid cash and left.
Only minutes later, Derasmi noticed the gas hose was laying on the ground and went outside to investigate, the report stated. The entire hose had been pulled off and was lying on the ground. The handle was broken and the handle rest also was damaged.