SUMTER, S.C. — Two alleged burglars accused of stealing from a Kershaw County church were arrested in Sumter on Thursday.
Sumter Police said officers and agents with the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) assisted the Kershaw County Sheriff's Office in catching the two.
Police said one person was caught on Thursday. The other was caught in the afternoon along Calhoun Street. Online aircraft tracking maps also showed a SLED helicopter in the area when authorities were working to make an arrest.
The Kershaw County Sheriff's Office later identified the suspects as 23-year-old Skigerria Tyreck Salmond and 20-year-old April Desiree Steen, both wanted for an Aug. 9 church burglary in Lugoff. The sheriff's office said both stayed at a hotel in Sumter when they were arrested.
The sheriff's office said a law enforcement K-9 injured Salmond as he attempted to escape. Authorities said the suspect will be taken to Kershaw County Detention Center after he receives treatment. Steen was booked into the Sumter-Lee Regional Detention Center.
Sheriff Lee Boan said he was thankful for the assistance of Sumpter Police and SLED. He also expressed frustration with the suspects, who will both face burglary charges.
"It's too bad some people feel the need to steal from a church instead of getting a job. Several businesses are hiring these days," he said.
The sheriff's office said both are also suspected of crimes in other jurisdictions and face additional charges from Sumter Police, Camden Police and other agencies.
