West Columbia Teen Charged with Breaking into Vehicles

A West Columbia teenager has been arrested and charged with breaking into 11 motor vehicles in residential neighborhoods, according to the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department.

William Larry Richardson, 18, of 241 Fox Lake Drive was charged Wednesday for thefts that took place near his home on Nov. 29-30. Detectives says Richardson  broke into vehicles parked outside homes on Chickadee Court, Courtney Oak Drive, Dove Trace Drive, Sausage Lane and Summer Walk Court.

Richardson, who was already in custody, was being held Thursday on bail totaling $55,000.

Detectives previously arrested Richardson Nov. 30 on charges that Richardson broke into a home in the same neighborhood where Richardson lives with his parents, Lexington County Sheriff James Metts said in a release.

Richardson was charged with first-degree burglary in connection with the break-in at a home on Fox Crossing Road in the Fox Crossing subdivision off Kitti Wake Drive near West Columbia.

During the string of motor vehicle break-ins on Nov. 29-30, arrest warrants allege that Richardson stole one pair of Dolce & Gabanna sunglasses, prescription medication, knives, flashlights, electronics equipment, checkbooks, book bags, one Ruger .380-caliber pistol, collectible baseball items, one Toshiba laptop computer, one Samsung Galaxy tablet device, one bottle of Armani cologne, coins and clothes, Metts said.
                                 
Detectives recovered many of the items that had been reported stolen in Richardson’s bedroom at his parents’ home, Metts said in the release.