SUMTER COUNTY, S.C. — Farmers in Sumter and Clarendon counties are used to having to battle the weather and animals, but now they are having to protect against thieves.
According to the Sumter County Sheriff's Office, farmers in both Sumter County and Clarendon County are being preyed on for the copper in their pivot pumps.
Pivot pumps are used to water large areas of crops.
The thefts cause anywhere from $5,000-$10,000 in damage to each pivot.
Investigators with the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office and the Clarendon County Sheriff’s Office are working together.
Landowners and those working in agriculture are asked to be especially vigilant until the suspects are apprehended.
“Dishonest people are always looking for a way to steal from good, hard-working people, Sumter County Sheriff Anthony Dennis said. "Farmers are part of the fabric of our culture and some of the hardest working people in America. When a neighbor suffers, we all suffer, so I hope people will step-up and report these thieves.”
Law enforcement asks If you notice something out of the ordinary, such as suspicious activity or trespassers, you are requested to call 911.
Those with information that may be helpful to the investigation are encouraged to call the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office at 803-436-2000 during regular business hours.