Oconee County Sheriff’s Office Offers Property Identification Inventory Forms for Citizens

When law enforcement officers conduct investigations into property crimes, there are some occasions when key pieces of evidence are not readily available or not available at all. Evidence which by its nature may help investigators solve crimes quicker, make arrests and enable victims to recover their valuable and precious property.

In order to assist law enforcement officers and potential victims, the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office has just began an initiative that will help all parties involved, and it is free of charge to citizens of the County.

By contacting the Sheriff’s Office, the Community Services Division will send to any Oconee County citizen who requests it, a Property Identification Inventory Form sheet that will enable citizens to record valuable personal property that will better help law enforcement in cases where larcenies have occurred.

“When investigations involving property crimes start, there are some key pieces of evidence that are very useful to have which can potentially speed along an investigation and may help to recover a victim’s property quicker,” according to Oconee County Sheriff Mike Crenshaw, who at one time was a property crimes investigator. “When conducting an investigation, law enforcement will ask those victims about what property was stolen, the make, model year and brand name or manufacturer of a certain product, the serial, model or VIN numbers, the color of an item and the total value of an item. Much of this information can be entered into the National Crimes Information Center database and is useful for any larceny, from a stolen gun to a stolen vehicle. The forms can also come in handy if a victim has to file an insurance claim because all of the information is recorded on the form for easy access.”

Sheriff Crenshaw says the quicker that information can be obtained and entered into NCIC, the quicker property may be returned to the victim as well as more quickly charging those who are responsible in the actual theft or are in possession of or have received the stolen goods.

The form itself allows citizens to record whatever property they would like with information that identifies the type of item, brand name, model number, color, size/caliber, the serial number, the owner applied identifiers and the total value when purchased. There is also space where additional information can be added that provides a further description of the property to help make a positive identification.

Sheriff Crenshaw says that the Property Identification Inventory Forms are another way in which the Sheriff’s Office continues to build relationships and partnerships with our citizens.

“No matter if you are a homeowner, a business owner or have property in Oconee County, please contact us and we will provide you this form, free of charge. We want to be able to better assist you should you unfortunately become a victim of a crime and help you recover your property that was stolen and hold those accountable who commit these crimes,” says Sheriff Crenshaw.

For your free Property Identification Inventory Form sheet, you can stop by the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office at 300 S. Church Street in Walhalla during normal business hours or e-mail Helen Westmoreland, the Community Outreach Coordinator, at [email protected].