Sheriff: Suspect arrested in kidnapping, beating and robbery after trying to sell victim’s truck | Crime

The Kershaw County Sheriff’s Office arrested a Camden man they say kidnapped, beat and robbed a 59-year-old man.

Deputies say 46-year-old Joseph Pardner Alexander was arrested on Dec. 19, and charged with kidnapping, armed robbery and grand larceny.

The report said on Monday at 3:00 pm deputies responded to a 911 call at a residence off of Highway 97 in Kershaw County.  The caller said he had been dragged into his home, beaten, tied up and robbed.

Deputies say the victim told deputies he was walking to his residence when the attacker grabbed him from behind. The victim said the suspect placed a box cutter to his neck, beat him in the face and dragged him into his home.

The suspect then tied the victim up, took his cell phone, keys and about 100 dollars in cash from his wallet, the report stated.

According to the victim, he was unable to free himself for about an hour before he was able to go to a neighbor’s house and call for help.

Deputies say the suspect also stole the victim’s red 1996 Dodge Ram 2500 pickup truck.

According to Kershaw County Sheriff Jim Matthews, investigators began their investigation of the incident immediately and quickly came up with a person of interest. Their suspicions were confirmed when they learned that Alexander had blown the engine on the truck he had stolen and tried to sell it to a tow truck driver who became suspicious and contacted the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office. Following the robbery, investigators entered the VIN of the stolen truck into the national database and when the Lancaster authorities ran the number, they were alerted that it had been stolen from Kershaw County.

The report said Kershaw County investigators continued trying to positively identify the driver of the stolen truck who had given an incorrect name to the tow truck driver. Suspicious that Alexander was the suspect, investigators prepared a photo lineup containing a picture of Alexander. Upon viewing the photo lineup, the victim positively identified Alexander and began crying, the report stated.

Deputies say Alexander’s sister was contacted by investigators who asked her where he could be found. Sometime later, Alexander’s sister contacted the investigators and said that she would bring Alexander in. 

During an interview, Alexander admitted to committing certain portions of the crime, the report stated.

Alexander was arrested at the Kershaw County Sheriff’s Office.

Alexander has an extensive criminal record dating back to 1992 including  several arrests for assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature, disorderly conduct, malicious injury to personal property, probation violation, strong armed robbery, traffic violations and resisting arrest, according to sheriff’s deputies.

“It appears that with all of these arrests, Alexander has not spent a day in jail,” stated Sheriff Jim Matthews. “This is what causes the public to lose faith in the criminal justice system. Maybe this time he will actually pay for his crimes.”

Alexander is currently being detained at the Kershaw County Detention Center awaiting a bond hearing.