Police blotter
4 suspects arrested in armed robbery
Homeowner Howard Solki (left) talks to Assistant Chief Jim Champion, of Martinez-Columbia Fire Rescue, about a fire at his home on Oakley Pirkle Road in Martinez. The blaze Thursday started in the kitchen of the home. Solki was not home when the fire started, and a neighbor called to report the fire after seeing smoke. Fire damage was confined to the kitchen, with some smoke damage to the remainder of the residence.
Photo by Jim Blaylock
Four men have been arrested in connection with the robbery of a pizza deliverywoman in Columbia County, authorities said.
Walter Dean Williams, 20, of Lincolnton, Ga., and Conquista Benning, 20, of the 7100 block of Old Winfield Road, Appling, were arrested late Monday on a charge of armed robbery and aggravated assault.
Paul Nehemiah Bailey, of the 4400 block of Forrest Street, Augusta, and Cedric Alexander Jones, of the 4400 block of Pineland Road, Martinez, both 18, were arrested Tuesday and charged with armed robbery, sheriff's Capt. Steve Morris said.
The robbery occurred at about 8:30 p.m. Monday on Rona Court, near Columbia and Belair roads. The 28-year-old victim was delivering a pizza for Papa John's when robbers hit her in the back of the head with an ax handle and stole $37 in pizza, police said.
The victim was treated at University Hospital and released, Morris said.
The following accounts were taken from reports filed with the Columbia County Sheriff's Office.
Theft by taking
An Evans golf club manager told police Monday someone stole $40 worth of beer from a storage building.
The woman who works for Jones Creek Golf Club, on Beechwood Drive, said someone cut a hole in the rear wall of a storage building and stole two cases of beer.
The incident occurred between 11 p.m. Feb. 18 and 7 p.m. Feb. 19.
Money missing
An Augusta woman reported $650 missing from her wallet Tuesday after she fell asleep in a Grovetown hotel.
The woman, who was staying with a man at Motel 6 on Parkwest Drive, said that when she awoke from her sleep she noticed that the man and her money were missing.
The incident occurred after 10:30 p.m.
Theft by deception
A Martinez woman reported a case of theft by deception to police on Monday, stating that her engagement ring was missing.
The woman, who lives in the 4000 block of Briarwood Drive, said her friend offered to clean her house because she was sick and also to polish her engagement ring.
Before she began cleaning, the woman said, her friend said she was going to her car to get something.
After a few minutes passed, the woman said she noticed that her ring, valued at $1,500, was missing.