Man Arrested for Gun Shop Break-In

A West Columbia man faces multiple charges after detectives allege he used a stolen pickup truck to break open a door of a local gun business and steal eight handguns worth $4,220.

Sheriff James Metts said detectives arrested Robert Fletcher Herbert, 41, of 104 Cherrywood Circle, West Columbia, on arrest warrants on two counts of second-degree burglary, two counts of grand larceny, and one count of illegal possession of a firearm by a person who previously was convicted of a violent felony. 

Herbert was released from the Lexington County Detention Center on Sunday after posting $87,130 bail.

An arrest warrant alleges that between 12 a.m. and 7 a.m. on March 27, Herbert stole a black 2007 Chevrolet Avalanche pickup truck from Bowen’s Auto Body and Paint at 2839 Emanuel Church Road near West Columbia, Metts said. Deputies recovered the pickup truck on April 3 about 200 feet from Herbert’s home, the sheriff said.

On April 9, detectives executed a search warrant at Herbert’s home and found an ignition key that is consistent with the ignition key used to start the truck that was reported stolen from the auto body shop, Metts said. Detectives also found one Brother Intellifax facsimile machine and one Stanley Jumpox that were reported stolen from the auto body shop. Detectives arrested Herbert at his home after executing the search warrant.

The warrant further alleges that at about 2 a.m. on March 29, Herbert drove the truck into a door at the rear of S&R Gun Sales at 2526 Emanuel Church Road near West Columbia in order to break into the gun business, where he allegedly stole the handguns, Metts said.