Police blotter
The following accounts were taken from reports filed with the Columbia County Sheriff's Office.
Armed robbery at local drug store
A Martinez woman was loading purchases into her vehicle when an armed robber took her purse.
Donna Roberts Richardson, 70, of West Hampton Drive, was loading her Eckerd purchases into the back seat of her Ford Taurus at the 377 FurysFerry Road store when she turned to see a male behind her who grabbed her purse and said, "Drop it or die." She described the man as white, in his late 40s, 5-foot-7, thin build, sandy hair, unshaven and wearing a camouflage jacket, the report stated.
Richardson noticed the robber had a black handgun as he repeated his demand. He took the purse and got into a white older-model truck parked in the space next to her car facing the opposite direction. Richardson was able to get the license plate number.
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Burglars vandalize yard
An Appling man returned to his Leah residence to find burglars had not only robbed his home, but vandalized the front yard.
John Hardin Coleman, 42, of Lion Road, Appling, went to his other residence at 4196 Old Lincolnton Highway, Leah, to find burglars had torn a hole in the screen of the porch and entered through the side door, the report stated.
The burglars stole a fire extinguisher, a rocking chair and a BB gun, but not before throwing several kitchen knives and tools into the front yard. The outer layer of the pumphouse shed door was torn away.
Park restroom vandalized with paint
A security guard at an Evans public park found vandalism in a restroom on his regular night security checks.
Dale Allen Waege, 51, night security officer for Columbia County, found paint on the inside walls of the men's restroom closest to the boat ramp at Riverside Park and Boat Ramp during his regular security checks, the report stated.
The word "sin" was painted in different colors.
Kitchen disposal stolen
A local contractor found am installed kitchen appliance missing from a nearly-completed home under construction.
John David Crawford, 22, superintendent of Downeast Home Builders, entered the nearly completed residence at 495 Barnsley Drive, Evans, to find burglars had taken an already-installed $50 in-sink kitchen disposal.
Fire report
The Martinez Fire Department responded to the following calls during the week of Jan. 5-11: structure fires, two; woods fire, one; grass fire, one; controlled burn, one; carbon monoxide, one; fire alarms, three; natural gas leak, one; medical calls, 16; rescue calls, nine; investigations, two; public service, two.