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Agents of the South Carolina State Law Enforcement Division (SLED) and the Chesterfield County sheriff’s office are seeking assistance from the public as they continue their investigation into an arson incident that destroyed two tractors last month on a rural highway.
The tractors belonged to a road construction crew, according to a SLED news release. They were discovered in flames after a passing motorist reported a fire in the area at approximately 7:55 p.m. EST on March 16, 2023. The tractors – which were the property of Lynches River Contracting, Inc. – were parked at a staging area on U.S. Highway 52 near Cheraw, S.C. where they were “being used to repave that same highway,” according to the release.
“Anyone with information regarding this incident or believes they may have seen something suspicious at or near this location is strongly encouraged to contact Crime Stoppers of the Pee Dee,” the release added. “Anonymity is guaranteed.”
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A cash reward of up to $1,000 is being offered for any tip leading to the arrest of the subject(s) involved with this incident.
Those looking to assist SLED and Chesterfield County can submit tips in one of several ways. First they can visit PeeDeeCrimeStoppers.com. Second, they can call 888-CRIME-SC (888-274-6372). Finally, they can use the P3 Tips app on their Apple or Android device.
Instances of arson were down in 2021 in the Palmetto State after a big spike in 2020, according to the latest statewide crime data from SLED. A total of 723 incidents were reported – which was down 3.7 percent from the previous year’s total of 751. The arson rate per 10,000 citizens also dipped by 5.1 percent – from 1.47 to 1.39.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR …
Will Folks is the founding editor of the news outlet you are currently reading. Prior to founding FITSNews, he served as press secretary to the governor of South Carolina. He lives in the Midlands region of the state with his wife and seven children.
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