Directed Patrols in SC Work

LEXINGTON COUNTY, SC - A Lexington County Sheriff's Department deputy arrested a 21-year-old Columbia man (Marshall Levi Darden Roop, of 1 Crescent Lane, Columbia) and his 20-year-old girlfriend (Shannon Michelle Powers, 20, of 1017 Sid Sites Road, Irmo) at 4am on Friday, May 6 while conducting a directed patrol in the Magnolia Key subdivision near Chapin. The man and his girlfriend were arrested in connection with about 20 motor vehicle break-ins that were reported in the Magnolia Key and Timberlake subdivisions. The two were being held on Friday at the Lexington County Detention Center while awaiting bond hearings.

At about 1:45 a.m. on Friday, Deputy Doug Edmonson responded to a call of suspicious activity on Magnolia Street in the subdivision near Chapin, SC. As he conducted his directed patrol, Edmondson saw a white Acura sedan parked at the end of Magnolia Street.

Edmonson turned off his headlights and drove towards the Acura sedan. Edmonson saw Roop exit a house, carrying a book bag and walk towards the Acura. When Edmonson turned his headlights back on, Roop jump quickly into the Acura sedan, and immediately concealed the book bag with a jacket. Edmonson exited his patrol car, approached the Acura sedan and questioned Roop about why he was at the home.

While he questioned Roop, Edmonson saw wallets and GPS devices in plain view inside the sedan. Later, while Deputy Edmonson searched the book bag that Roop was carrying, he found several GPS devices, cell phones, power cords, wallets and a pair of gloves. Edmonson determined the items were stolen from about 20 motor vehicles that had been broken into in the subdivisions.

Roop illegally entered only unlocked vehicles, with electronics and wallets left in plain view.

Chapin Patrol District was created on April 1. Deputy Edmonson was assigned to regularly answer calls for help in the newly created patrol district.

"The arrests of Roop and Powers show that enhanced directed patrols in the Chapin Patrol District are working," Lexington County Sheriff James R. Metts said. "Deputy Edmonson did an excellent job in vigilantly patrolling an area where suspicious activity had been reported and ending a crime spree by Roop and his girlfriend."

Sheriff Metts called for citizens to remove opportunities for thieves by keeping their vehicles locked, and suggested that electronics and other valuables be stored in the trunk or out of sight. He recommends that citizens who live at a home with a garage should park their vehicles at night inside and keep the garage door locked.

Anyone with information about other criminal activity involving Roop or Powers to contact the Lexington County Sheriff's Department at (803) 785-8230 or CrimeStoppers at 1-888-CRIME-SC. Citizens also can provide information anonymously by accessing the Crime Tip link on the Sheriff's Department web site (www.lexingtonsheriff.com).

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