Historic pottery stolen from South Carolina library. Authorities looking for thieves
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Last summer, someone stole $100,000 worth of historic pottery that had been loaned to a library in Edgefield, leaving authorities searching for clues.
Today, police are still looking for the 19th century pots and anyone connected to the theft. On Friday, authorities asked for the public’s help. They are offering a $1,000 reward for a tip that leads to the arrests.
All told, 39 pots were stolen from the Tompkins Library in the town of Edgefield this past June, authorities said.
“The pottery was made in the 1800s by enslaved citizens of Edgefield County and carries significant historical value,’’ a news release from Crimestoppers of the Midlands said.
Local officials said the theft is a blow to Edgefield, a small municipality that has made efforts to spruce up its downtown and document its past. The material was on display at the Tompkins Library, a building that houses a trove of historical records people use for research.
A local resident who owned the pottery allowed the town to show it off at the library, Mayor Ken Durham said.
“We hate to see the individuals lose something of historical value,’’ as well as monetary value, Durham said. “Most of it was local pottery that was made here. It’s kind of heartbreaking, devastating. And it makes me angry.’’
Ronnie Carter, Edgefield’s police chief, said the pottery theft happened at night and appeared to have been engineered by someone who knew about the pots. The burglary occurred between June 4 and 6 at the Tompkins Library, the news release said.
Only selected pieces of pottery were taken, Carter said. Other pieces that remained in the library were moved to cover up places where the stolen items had been on display, he said.
“Somebody had taken pots down and moved pots around to make it hard to discover these were missing,’’ he said. “It was somebody with very good knowledge of the pots, what they are worth, how to move them.’’
Carter said the thefts had created “a lot of talk,’’ as well as “accusations, finger-pointing’’ in Edgefield.
He did not elaborate, deferring detailed questions about the investigation to the State Law Enforcement Division, which has taken the lead in the probe. SLED confirmed Friday that the pots were worth about $100,000, but declined further comment.
The Crimestoppers release said authorities will guarantee anonymity to tipsters who know about the theft. Reach Crimestoppers at crimesc.com or 888-274-6372.
The D.A. Tompkins Library is a welcome center for the historic town of Edgefield. About 2,000 people visit each year, according to the town’s website.
The welcome center provides information about the town’s history, including displays and artifacts, Edgefield’s website says. Edgefield is known for its pottery, including pottery that remains from the era of slavery.
Edgefield, between Columbia and the Georgia border in western South Carolina, is the hometown of the late Strom Thurmond, a former state senator and governor who at one point was the longest-serving U.S. Senator in American history.
In recent years, Edgefield has made efforts to improve its downtown. For years, it has been the headquarters of the National Wild Turkey Federation, a sportsmen’s organization.
This story was originally published December 2, 2022 at 2:05 PM.
