Police Blotter

The following accounts were taken from reports filed with the Columbia County Sheriff's Office.

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Wal-Mart reports men took three new tires

A Wal-Mart employee told police Saturday that three people stole more than $300 worth of tires from the Evans store's automotive department.

A tire and lube technician in the store at 4471 Washington Road told deputies that between 1:30 and 4:30 p.m., three men entered the store asking to buy three Goodyear American Eagle tires, valued at more than $320. One of the men tried to pay for the tires with a credit card but was unable to do so because of trouble with the card.

The technician said the tires had already been loaded into a Dodge Ram truck in which the men arrived. He said the men became impatient and one said he would go get another credit card. The technician said he overheard the men agree to leave, and they drove away without paying for the tires.

Deputies took videotapes from two of the store's surveillance cameras as evidence.

Friend shoots at man

An Evans man said Sunday that his friend shot at him.

The 33-year-old man told deputies that he heard someone yelling his name and cursing him.

He said he looked out a window and saw his friend holding a gun. They cursed at each other, and his friend aimed and fired at him.

Deputies found a small-caliber shell casing in the street in front of the man's home.

Gas, cigarettes stolen

The clerk of a Harlem-area gas station told deputies a woman drove away without paying for nearly $30 in gas and a pack of cigarettes.

The clerk said a woman entered the Pumpkin Center store at about 1:15 a.m. Sunday and asked to activate a gas pump, where a man began pumping gas. The woman told the clerk she would pay by check, but the clerk said no checks could be accepted.

The clerk said she refused the woman's offer to leave her purse as payment, after which the customer made several calls to arrange for payment. The customer said someone was en route with payment for the gas and cigarettes.

The clerk said the woman told her she would move the car while waiting for the money to arrive, but instead drove away with $28.17 in gas and the $3.19 cigarettes.

Woman's jewelry stolen

A Martinez woman called deputies Thursday to report that someone had kicked in her door and stole jewelry.

The 68-year-old woman said she had returned home at about 4 p.m. Thursday to find her back door ajar and broken. Deputies found a smudged footprint on the door.

The woman went to her bedroom, where jewelry had been spread out on her bed. Several pieces, including four rings worth more than $900, were missing.

Keyboard missing

Deputies patrolling West Town Shopping Center on Sept. 6 discovered a burglarized business with a shattered window.

Just before midnight, deputies found the break-in at Center Stage Music at 3833 Washington Road, in Martinez. The deputies found three large rocks apparently used to break the window. The owner said the only thing missing was a $2,395 Roland digital keyboard.

Martinez-Columbia Fire and Rescue Activity Report for Sept. 3-9:

Structure fires, four; vehicle fires, five; unauthorized burns, three; fire alarms, three; medical calls, 10; rescue calls, 10; hazardous materials, one; investigations, two; public service, two; public safety assistance, one; and other, six.