Road rage escalates into confrontation

The following incidents were taken from the City of Charleston Police Department’s crime reports within Team 5, which cover Daniel Island, Clements Ferry Road, and parts of Cainhoy, May 16-31.

 

Wire Fraud

On May 16, an employee of a business located on Clements Ferry Road reported that a wire fraud had occurred. In April, two emails were received from vendors. The emails included invoices and updated bank transfer instructions. After sending the payments to the different bank accounts, the complainant realized that the company’s email had been hacked and the emails from the vendors were fraudulent. About $50,000 was stolen between the two transactions. Detectives are conducting a follow-up investigation.

 

Embezzlement

After an audit, a business on River Landing Drive discovered that $37,000 was missing and allegedly taken by a former employee without the company’s knowledge. The theft was reported on May 16. The case is pending.

 

Larceny by False Pretenses

A resident of Blakeway Street received a warning on his iPad stating that the device was locked and needed repair. A phone number appeared on the screen. After calling the number several times, the victim paid the suspect about $50,000 to have the data retrieved and the electronics repaired. On May 17, Team 5 was contacted. Central detectives are assisting with the investigation.

 

Burglary

On May 19, a burglary occurred on Elfe Street around 3 a.m. An unknown subject entered the garage of the residence. The victim did not realize that the home had been entered until later in the day, after reviewing surveillance footage from the Ring camera. The offender was wearing clothing to cover his or her identity.

 

On the same day, a garage on Etiwan Park Street that had been left open was entered during the overnight hours, and three bicycles were taken from the location. The bicycles were later recovered near a walking path on Pierce Street.

 

Motor Vehicle Theft

On May 19, a 2002 EZGO TXT golf cart was stolen from the driveway of a residence on Elfe Street. The key had been stored in the glove box. The vehicle was recovered on Etiwan Park Street, at the location where three bicycles were stolen (see above).

 

Larceny

A builder reported that between May 17-20, a new air conditioning unit was removed from a construction site on Blind Flight Street. Team 5 noted evidence where the wiring had been cut. The value of the unit was $7,000. There was no surveillance footage in the area.

 

Road Rage

On May 22, after a road rage incident occurred on Seven Farms Drive, the two vehicles involved came to a stop in the area of River Landing Drive and Seven Farms Drive. The offender approached the victim’s vehicle and attempted to assault the victim. The victim then stabbed the offender with a small knife and fled from the location. The victim arrived at 235 Seven Farms Drive and reported the incident to law enforcement. The offender was then located by police in a parking lot at 259 Seven Farms Drive and required medical attention. He was transported to a nearby hospital for treatment.

 

Forgery

A business located on River Landing Drive mailed a check for $8,000 to another business out of state. During the process, an unknown individual intercepted the payment, used it to forge a personal check, and cashed it. Police continue to investigate.

 

Attempted Theft of a Motor Vehicle

On May 26, a victim’s 2023 Kia Rio was found in a parking lot on Jack Primus Road with a broken window and the steering column removed. Estimated damages total $2,000. No video surveillance was available in the area.