Area Law Enforcement Partner to Make Holidays Safer

Officers arrested 46 people wanted for armed robbery or burglary in the Midlands over the past several weeks in hopes of making the holiday shopping season safer for residents. 

Law enforcement agencies from five counties, including Richland and Lexington, partnered with SLED, the U.S. Marshals Service and the S.C. Department of Probation, Pardon and Parole Services for "Operation Preventative Strike." 

The pre-emptive effort was aimed at arresting people wanted for crimes that normally increase over the holiday season, Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott said.

Nationally, 10 percent of offenders committ 60 percent of the crimes, Lott said. With that statistic in mind, Lott said he hopes the effort will reduce holiday crime. 

The Fairfield County Sheriff’s Department, the Kershaw County Sheriff’s Department, the Newberry County Sheriff’s Department and the Camden Police Department also worked on the operation. Members of these law enforcement agencies work year-round to arrest wanted individuals as part of the United States Marshals Fugitive Task Force.