ORANGEBURG COUNTY, SC (WCBD) — A joint agency investigation has led to charges being made in the theft of prescription drugs after two break-ins at a North pharmacy.
The Orangeburg County Sheriff’s Office and the North Police Department have brought charges against two Neeses roommates in connection with two burglaries.
“These charges in the pharmacy burglaries are a result of agencies working together to make our community safer,” Sheriff Leroy Ravenell said. “These two individuals were stealing prescription drugs needed by residents of North community. But they aren’t any more.”
Each of the subjects were charged with one count each of possession of marijuana and possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance.
Chief Lin Shirer said the North Police Department is charging Appleton with two counts of second-degree burglary, two counts of grand larceny, and two counts of theft of a controlled substance. Davis faces North PD warrants of two counts of third-degree burglary, two counts of grand larceny, and two counts of theft of a controlled substance.
Bond was set on the OCSO charges for Davis at $25,620 and for Appleton at $20,620.
A bond hearing for the North charges is tentatively scheduled for Friday.
On January 17 and again on January 18, OCSO deputies were called to R and J Drugs after an alarm indicated intruders at the Savannah Highway business.
Video surveillance showed what appeared to be two white males breaking into the pharmacy before taking a quantity of prescription drugs.
The following night, deputies again responded to an alarm at the pharmacy where video shows a subject moving through the business, making his way to the pharmacy area.
Executing a search warrant at Davis and Appleton’s Lendel Street home, OCSO investigators were able to recover nearly 1,000 prescription pills. Investigators also recovered a price guide that set the price to charge for each pill.
Earlier this month, Sheriff Ravenell issued a warning that pharmacies along the Savannah Highway corridor from Lexington County to Bamberg County had seen similar break-ins.
The investigation is ongoing and more charges could be pending.
