Oconee County Sheriff’s Office Makes Ninth Arrest in Burglary Investigation at Old Dunlop Plant

The Oconee County Sheriff’s Office is announcing a ninth arrest in a burglary investigation at the old Dunlop plant in Westminster.

49 year old Tedmund Leon Smith of Mt. Pleasant Road in Westminster was booked into the Oconee County Detention Center around 1:45 pm Thursday. Belcher has been charged in outstanding arrest warrants obtained by investigators with four counts each of Second Degree Burglary and Malicious Injury to Property while also being charged with two counts each of Petit Larceny and Grand Larceny.

According to arrest warrants, Smith is accused of breaking into the Old Dunlop plant between August 1st and August 31st, 2019, between September 1st, 2019 and September 30th, 2019, between October 1st and October 31st, 2019 and between November 1st and November 30th of 2019, causing damage to the plant as well during those incidents, which included damage to the walls, circuit breakers, the electrical conduit and the electrical grid. Belcher is also accused of stealing non-ferrous metal from the property during the break-ins as well.

At this time, Belcher remains in custody at the Oconee County Detention Center on a combined $71,000.00 surety bond.

The Oconee County Sheriff’s Office is continuing their investigation.