Aiken Car Theft Suspect Arrested

Aiken, SC—According to Sgt. Aaron Dowdy, the Aiken Department of Public Safety arrested a Columbia, SC man after he stole a car and fled, on Friday night.

Sgt. Dowdy says, on Friday night, July 31st, around 9:00 p.m., a vehicle was stolen from Krystal’s restaurant, on Whiskey Road. Within an hour, the vehicle was spotted on York Street, near Hampton Avenue.

When officers stopped the vehicle, the suspect jumped out and ran across York Street, heading west into a heavily wooded area. A perimeter was set up with multiple officers on York Street, Rutland Drive, Columbia Avenue, Teague Street, and DuPont Drive. The Aiken Bloodhound Tracking Team responded and started a search of the area. After about two hours of tracking, it was believed the suspect jumped the fence into the property of Strom Thurmond Vocational Rehabilitation. Cloth from the suspects shirt and part of a torn pair of jeans were stuck on the fence. Units closed to a tighter perimeter. Members of the tracking team were able to get over the fence and found an open warehouse. The Special Response Team was notified to respond to clear the buildings. Within a few minutes of checking the outside of the buildings, the suspect was found hiding in a dumpster next to a warehouse. He was taken into custody without incident.

The vehicle was returned to the owner at the location of the traffic stop. The suspect, Samuel Watford, 37, of Columbia, S.C., was taken to the Aiken County Detention Center. Watford was charged with grand larceny, possession of a stolen vehicle, and unlawful entry into enclosed places.