August 22
• At approximately 5:30 p.m., officers spoke with a father who reported his children had been taken to the home of a relative by their mother in violation of the parent’s court order from family court. After reading the portion of the court order that outlines visitation rights and location as it applied to the children’s mother, the father then requested a report documenting the incident be filed for “family court purposes.” The father also stated that he would come by the department tomorrow to provide officers with all court orders currently in his possession so “Bennettsville PD can be properly informed moving forward.” Case is active.
August 23
• At approximately 9:39 a.m., officers responded to a residence on South Liberty Street following a report of a volatile dispute underway. At the scene, officers noted hearing raised voices coming from inside the home. Upon entering the residence, officers found three individuals arguing heatedly. After restoring peace, officers spoke with the caller who stated that she and another individual live together, however, she claimed the roommate is not contributing to household funds and alleged the roommate also verbally assaults her when she tries to bring the household finances to his attention. Frustrated and fed up, she told officers she kicked the individual out two days prior but found him sleeping outside the home on the stairs in the mornings since. She found her former roommate on the stairs again, which, according to her, set off the recent verbal dispute and she would now like him to be removed from the property. When officers spoke with the male in question, he claimed to have been living there until he was asked to leave. He stated that in regard to contributing towards household funds, his father allegedly contributed several hundred dollars on his behalf. He said he was willing to leave but only wanted to pick up his belongings from the home before doing so. While interviewing both parties, officers requested standard identification. The male subject was found to have lied about his name and date of birth. Once made aware of this, officers confronted the male who then provided them with the correct information. After running his name through the system to check for warrants, and finding none, asked the gentleman why he lied. He stated that he has been told he does not have to identify himself to an officer when asked. BPD quickly disabused him of this notion, informing him that he does have to identify himself, while also pointing out that making false statements and refusing to identify yourself are two different things. The male was then allowed to obtain his personal items from the home. Case is active.
• At approximately 6:59 p.m., officers responded to a business located on Highway 15 – 401 Bypass following a report of a woman shoplifting steaks. At the scene, officers heard from the store manager that the woman was now hanging out in the produce area of the store, however as officers made their way over to fruits and vegetables, the woman was seen attempting to return to the meat section of the store. Catching up with her, officers detained her and requested she remove the stolen meat from inside her purse. Complying, the female then removed two hidden steaks from her person, valued at $37.03. It was at that moment Ms. Shannon Diaz-Vasquez was arrested, transported to the Marlboro Detention Center, charged with shoplifting, and issued a trespass order from the business. Case closed by arrest.
August 24
• At approximately 5:33 a.m., officers responded to a business on Highway 15-401 Bypass in reference to a report of an individual threatening the store clerk with a gun. At the scene, officers spoke with the cashier who described the suspect as a Black man wearing a black hoodie and camo pants. The cashier stated the individual had been involved in a previous altercation in the parking lot before entering the store intoxicated and armed. According to the cashier, the male then began arguing with a customer inside the store before coming over to the cashier, pulling a gun, and ordering the cashier to leave, allegedly stating, “I’ll kill you.” The cashier stated they thought the individual had entered the store in hopes of finding whomever they had been disputing with in the lot outside. Witnesses claimed the male left the store in a grey BMW after brandishing his gun at the cashier. Case is active.