Burglars torch auctioneer’s 200-year-old plantation home after stealing guns, SC cops say
A centuries old South Carolina plantation home was recently burglarized and burnt down, and the man who has lived there for more than 40 years is offering a large reward to find who is responsible, WLTX reported.
Auctioneer Rob Dinkins said his Lee County home was broken into on either the end of the night on Dec. 28 or the very early hours of Dec. 29, according to his Facebook page.
The burglar, or burglars, broke into a family safe before setting the home on fire, Dinkins said in the post.
The suspects used “a grinder” to cut open a gun safe inside the home and stole “30 rifles and shotguns along with a substantial amount of cash and silver dollars,” Dinkins said in a flier seeking information about the suspects. He also offered a $50,000 reward “for information that leads to the arrest, conviction and recovery of unknown subject(s),” in the flier he also shared on Facebook.
Dinkins said he lost more than what was taken from inside the safe.
The uninsured house, which has been on the Mayesville property for 200 years and renovated in 1904, was burnt to the ground, WLTX reported. Dinkins and his family were on vacation at the time, and he said they “lost everything except the items in their suitcases,” according to the TV station.
After thanking Facebook followers for their “wonderful thoughts, prayers and donations” in a previous post, Dinkins had a more pointed message for those responsible for the burglary and fire, and addressed them directly in a Friday post.
In a message to the vandal, or vandals, on Facebook Dinkins wrote, “Dear Burglar, tell me where to find ALL the items that you stole from me on December 29th and I will take down the PUBLIC REWARD CAMPAIGN. Failure to comply before February 2nd will result in a more vigorous and expanded REWARD CAMPAIGN to catch you. This REWARD CAMPAIGN will NOT stop until you are identified and caught.
“You will be caught and could be facing 40 years in prison and a $1,000,000 lawsuit. So clear your conscience and contact me.”
Dinkins’ Facebook page also features posts about items up for auction with Dinkins Auctions, which has appeared on the History Channel TV show “American Pickers,” according to the auctioneer’s website.
Firefighters responded to the burning home around 4 a.m. Dec. 29, and the Lee County Sheriff’s Office said it appears the burglars started the fire, WLTX reported.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Lee County Sheriff’s office at 803-484-5341, Crimestoppers at 888-CRIME-SC or submit an online tip.
This story was originally published January 27, 2019 at 4:42 PM.
