Operation Scrap Trap

Operation Scrap-Trap is a joint effort with Spartanburg County, Cherokee County, Laurens County, and Union County. This joint operation started December 1, 2010 and ended March 1, 2011. Undercover operatives were sent to every Metal and/or Precious Metal dealer in the counties. There were a number of arrests made across these 4 counties.

Cherokee County

Becky Jo Henderson: H&E Scrap Metal

Terry Lyvonne Henderson: H&E Scrap Metal

Kevin Ray Johnston: Cole's Scrap Metal

Robert Earl Peterson: Cole's Scrap Metal

Property Damage: $65,700
Property Stolen: $228,800
Property Recovered: $14,000

Total Damage/Stolen Property: $249,500

This is an average of about $2915 in property losses per incident of metal theft.

There were 101 incidents in Cherokee County in 2010 involving scrap metal.
- 40 AC Unit/Heat Pumps, Stolen or Damaged
-16 Catalytic Converters Stolen
- 42 Copper Thefts
- 3 Vehicles Scrapped

46 Residences
23 Commercial/Business
5 Churches
10 Construction Sites
1 Cell Tower
16 Vehicles

Spartanburg County

A&J Recycling

Angela Jane Emory: A&J Recycling

Linc Shannon Moss: A&J Recycling

Freeman Core Supply

Kevin Lee Freeman: Freeman Core Supply

Gary Wayne Butler Jr.: Freeman Core Supply

Greer Metals

Michael Leon Turner: Greer Metals

Viki J. Murphy: Greer Metals

Little Man’s Auto Parts & Wrecker

Frank Ivey: Little Mans Auto Parts & Wrecker

Wayne Marquis Holland: Little Mans Auto Parts & Wrecker

David Ivey: Little Mans Auto Parts & Wrecker

Vickers Auto Parts

Maynard Vickers: Vickers Auto Parts

Dennis Vickers: Vickers Auto Parts

Tony Hizia Bourini: A-1 Auto Parts

Stephen E. Bishop: Kar Parts

Samuel David Minton: Minton's Wrecker Service

Billy Ray Smith: Smith's Recycling

Property Damage: $1.7 Million
Property Stolen: $2.3 Million
Property Recovered: $89,000
Total Damage/Stolen Property: $4 Million

This is an average of about $4000 in property losses per incident of metal theft.

There were 1,009 incidents in Spartanburg County in 2010 involving scrap metal.

439 AC Unit/Heat Pumps, Stolen or Damaged
29 Catalytic Converts
274 Copper Thefts
23 Vehicles Scrapped
243 Other Metal Theft Incidents

520 Residences
235 Commercial/Businesses
30 Churches
40 Construction Sites
27 Cell Towers
9 Restaurants
8 Department/Discount Stores
7 Drugstore/Dr. Office
133 Other

Laurens County

Michael Thompson Jr

Randolph Bean

Gregory Collier

William Wilson Sr

William Wilson III

There were 144 cases in Laurens County in 2010 relating to non-ferrous materials.

Union County

Oliver Ray

Samantha Abee

Rena Martin

There were 122 incidents in Union County in 2010 involving scrap metal.

- 26 AC Unit/Heat Pumps, Stolen or Damaged
- 9 Catalytic Converters stolen
-31 Copper Thefts
- 46 Scrap Metal
- 3 Power Meters
- 4 Headstone/Grave Vases
- 2 Vehicle Parts
- 1 Radio Broadcast Transmitter Valued of $25,000