Police Blotter
The following accounts were taken from reports filed with the Columbia County Sheriff's Office:
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Martinez man charged with theft
Deputies arrested a Martinez man Tuesday who was accused of stealing parts from a Martinez plumbing company.
James Lee Graves, Sr., 51, of the 3500 block of Rainbow Street, was charged with theft by taking and was being held Thursday morning at the Columbia County Detention Center on $2,600 bond.
A witness told deputies that Graves was loading items from the rear of Hutto Plumbing Co. into a white 2002 Ford Windstar minivan just after noon.
Deputies stopped the vehicle and found dozens of copper fittings and fixtures taken from Hutto inside.
The value of the plumbing equipment was listed at nearly $600.
Boat stolen from campground
A Harlem man told deputies Tuesday morning that someone stole his fishing boat from his camping site at Thurmond Lake.
The man, who was camping on the lake in the 5800 block of Ridge Road, told deputies he last saw his 18-foot Javelin fish and ski boat Monday night when he tied it to a tree behind a camper.
When the man awoke, he told deputies, the boat was gone.
It was described as white with a metallic gold stripe and is valued at $16,000.
Paper boxes raided
A paper carrier for The Augusta Chronicle told a Columbia County deputy early Tuesday that someone broke into two paper racks and stole the money from the coin boxes.
One box was at the Pollards Corner gas station and the second at Ridge Road Bait and Tackle near Thurmond Lake.
The thefts occurred between 9:30 p.m. April 9 and 6 a.m. Tuesday. The carrier told deputies that about $60 was taken from the Pollards Corner box and an unknown amount was taken from the Ridge Road box.
In both cases, the locks were cut off the racks and the security bolt removed to access the coin boxes.
Furniture and electronics stolen
A Martinez man told deputies Tuesday that someone kicked in the door of his apartment and made off with his furniture and electronics the day before.
The man told deputies he returned to his home in the 300 block of Applecross Drive and found that his sectional sofa, dinette set, DVD player, television and stereo were missing from his apartment.