Photo Gallery | Sheriff: 'The key to solving these break-ins was having the serial numbers'

Kershaw County Sheriff’s Office investigators arrested three men for breaking into 15 vehicles and stealing guns, laptop computers, currency, cell phones, iPads, iPods, GPS devices and other personal items since the beginning of March 2013, according to sheriff's deputies.

Deputies arrested 19-year-old Neco Dylan Barnes, 18-year-old Kristian Cole Ariail and 19-year-old Matthew Chandler Waltz on March 15.

The report said deputies responded to a possible break-in of a home located on Pine Crest Drive in Lugoff, SC.

Upon arrival, officers located Barnes, Ariail and Waltz at the residence with the above stolen items in their possession.

According to sheriff’s deputies, after the items were inventoried, investigators ran serial numbers through incident reports of break-ins and were able to match many of the items to the specific incidents that occurred in the Lugoff and Elgin areas.

According to Kershaw County Sheriff Jim Matthews, “the key to solving these break-ins was having the serial numbers. Fortunately some of the victims had recorded them and were able to provide those numbers to law enforcement after the items had been stolen.” 

Barnes, Ariail and Waltz were all interviewed and described to officers their involvement in the auto break-ins, the report stated. Investigators obtained arrest warrants for the three men who are in custody at the Kershaw County Detention Center. Their bonds have been set at $100,000.00 each.

All are being charged with numerous counts of breaking into motor vehicles and receiving stolen goods valued over $2,000.00 but less than $10,000.00.

“Now that they are in jail, these three young men seem to be remorseful. It is unfortunate that they didn’t think about the consequences of their actions before they committed these crimes,” said Kershaw County Sheriff Jim Matthews.