SC homeowner sees man snatch package from porch, holds him at gunpoint, police say
A man who took a package from a homeowner’s porch found himself in the sights of a gun Friday, according the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies arrested and charged Marvin Marshall with petit larceny following his attempt to snatch the package from the home, an act in which participants have become known as “porch pirates.” The home is on War Admiral Lane in Moncks Corner, the sheriff’s office said.
A deputy said in a report that Marshall claimed he was driving around Friday afternoon, looking for lawns to cut when he began to have car trouble. Marshall pulled over to see what was wrong with his car.
While inspecting his car, Marshall saw a package near the front door of a house, a deputy said. He went to the door, knocked and no one answered.
“At that moment Marshall thought it would be a genius idea to take the package and put it into his car,” a sheriff’s office spokesperson said.
The homeowner was at home and rushed out of the house with a gun drawn, according to the office. The owner got Marshall’s attention, aimed the gun at him and ordered him to return the package. After the package was returned, the homeowner held Marshall at gunpoint and called police, who arrived shortly after.
Marshall was taken to the county jail. A judge released him without having to pay bond but with an order not to contact the victim, court records show.
Marshall already owes more than $2,000 in court fines and fees, according to records. He is scheduled for a March hearing on the charge where a magistrate judge will issue punishment unless Marshall requests a trial by jury.
Petit larceny is a misdemeanor punishable by a $1,000 fine or 30 days in jail.
“Please, let this be a lesson to ALL potential porch pirates,” a spokesperson for the office wrote. “ARGH! You never know what will be on the other side of that door.”
This story was originally published January 18, 2020 at 12:46 PM.