KERSHAW COUNTY, S.C. — A bench was stolen from a family's gravesite in Kershaw County according to deputies.
Kershaw County Sheriff Lee Boan says this is something that has upset the entire community.
"What kind of a lowlife would it take to go to somebody's cemetery and steal something," asked Sheriff Boan.
The sheriff's office became aware of the issue after it was posted to Facebook a couple of days ago.
The sheriff says the bench belonged to a former deputy's grave, located at Antioch Baptist Church. The bench used to sit in front of Jimmy Simmons and his son Jason's tombstone. The deputy used to sit with his wife on the bench after their son died years ago.
Members of the Kershaw community have even offered to pay for another bench to help out. He believes it says a lot about the community willing to help.
"We've had a lot of people that was willing to donate money and even donate another bench for them. It's just there's a light of sentimental value in that bench there," said Sheriff Boan. "We really want it back. It's just something that can't be replaced."
Sheriff Boan used to work with the deputy. He says Simmons was a really good guy and nobody would ever say anything negative about him. Simmons recently passed away.
"It's very disappointing to think somebody could go into a cemetery, that's where people bury their loved ones at and they go there to visit, to see a bench there, you would know that they sit on when they're visiting their loved ones, and to take that," explained Sheriff Boan. "I don't know what's going through somebody's mind, how desperate you have to be to steal something like that."
If someone sees a bench on sale, Sheriff Boan asks that you do not buy it because it's only encourages the people who stole from the cemetery to steal more.
Within the Facebook post from the Kershaw County Sheriff's Office, other people say they have had other things taken from their loved one's graves.
Deputies haven't received a lot of tips but they hope the bench will be returned to the family.
"I would hope whoever took it would bring it back. If you're not going to take it back to where you took it from, put it somewhere we can find it so we can get it back to the family. Even if we don't make a charge, getting that property back to the family is real important to us and real important to the family."
If you know of anything that can help investigators, call 803-425-1512.