Police Blotter
The following accounts were taken from reports filed with the Columbia County Sheriff's Office.
Cable equipment theft
Comcast and Knology of Augusta recently reported the theft of several cable box amplifiers.
Technicians from both companies have reported nearly $6,000 in stolen cable box amplifiers in Evans and Grovetown in one day, according to a Columbia County Sheriff's Office incident report.
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Franklin Lavin Pike Jr., 49, a Comcast repairman, reported a power supply and amplifier trunk bridger missing from the cable box at the intersection of Magnolia Parkway and Old Belair Road.
Three Knology technicians reported missing amplifiers and damage on the curb between 765 and 769 Seven Lakes Road, Evans, 4613 Millhaven Road, Grovetown, 4261 Deerwood Lane East, Evans, and an area adjacent to Rhett Drive, Evans, the report stated.
Some reported the entire cable box missing, while others reported the amplifiers missing and the ground wires cut.
Purse left behind
A man who found a neighbor's purse has led to a burglary investigation.
Ramahant Vichare, of the 3700 block of Inverness Way, notified the Columbia County Sheriff's Office because he found a purse belonging to Virginia M. Bowman, 75, of 3704 Inverness Way in front of the residence in the street and an open door to the home, according to a sheriff's office incident report.
Deputies cleared and secured the residence, but found cabinets and drawers open throughout the home, the report stated. Bowman, who was not at home, was left a note and the purse was taken into evidence.
When Bowman contact the sheriff's office, she said it appeared that the home had been burglarized. Deputies found to forced entry into the residence. Bowman's purse and wallet were returned to her.
Fuel tank vandalism
A woman visiting Shenandoah Ridge Apartments said someone added something to her gas tank while at the complex.
Jennifer Rebecca Mims, 26, of the 300 block of Deerwood Court, Martinez, was visiting the 400 block of Blue Ridge Drive, Martinez, when she said someone poured an unknown syrupy-like substance into the gas tank, according to a Columbia County Sheriff's Office incident report. Mims noticed the substance when she attempted to refuel the vehicle.
Deputies took two sets of fingerprints from the gas cap area as evidence, the report stated.
Pellet vandals
Two employees of a Washington Road eatery left work to find their cars had been attacked by vandals bearing a pellet gun.
Amanda Tracie Matthews, 17, of the 600 block of Cambridge Road, Augusta, said she left Gorin's Homemade Cafe in Evans recently and found pellets had broken the rear passenger window and had hit the rear and front passenger side door of her 1992 Toyota Corolla, a Columbia County Sheriff's Office incident report stated.
Another waitress at Gorin's, Jennifer Lauren Coleman, 18, of the 600 block of Chimney Hill Circle, Evans, and left work the same day as Matthews and found a small hole in the front windshield of her 1997 Saturn, the report stated.
Damage to both vehicles was estimated at $700.
Fire report
Martinez Fire Department activity report for March 30-April 5: structure fires, two; vehicle fire, one; controlled burns, five; fire alarms, thirteen; natural gas leaks, two; medical calls, 29; rescue calls, ten; investigations, five; public service, three; other, one.