A string of robberies at Verizon stores throughout the state of South Carolina left police on alert and looking for those involved. It is stated that $400,000 worth of electronics has been stolen been stolen since January of this year. Recently, four people — two adults and two teenagers — were arrested for an alleged connection to the crime. The accused do have the right to a strong criminal defense team to navigate them through the criminal proceedings they will be facing.
A Camden police officer arrested the four suspects when he supposedly saw them entering a local Verizon store after closing hours. The adults arrested were being held at a local detention center while the teenagers were taken to the Department of Juvenile Justice. Charges against them include burglary and larceny.
Some of the stolen property was reportedly recovered, but it is believed that some of it had already been sold on Craigslist. Other electronics devices were allegedly recovered from one of the adults’ homes in Columbia. However, it was not reported if the item numbers specifically matched items stolen from the Verizon stores.
Residents of South Carolina do have rights when accused of a crime and preparing their criminal defense. They have the right to defend themselves and the right to the presumption of innocence at every stage of the proceedings. It is the sole responsibility of prosecutors to prove each and every element of the crimes charged. Failing that, no conviction can be secured. Nevertheless, the potentially severe consequences a conviction could bring mandate that every reasonable effort be made to protect all applicable legal rights while fighting for an optimal result.
Source: The State, Suspects accused of stealing $400k worth of Verizon store electronics, Anne-Kathryn Flanagan, Nov. 15, 2013