ORANGEBURG, S.C. — The Orangeburg Department of Public Safety is cracking down on carjacking with the launch of a new task force. According to Chief Charles Austin, there have been five car jackings within the City of Orangeburg within the past few months.
“The car jackings have been random. They’ve been sporadic," said Austin.
The task force is called Pursuit, Arrest, and Convict. This is precisely their mission.
There are representatives from the Town of Norway, Santee, South Carolina State Law Enforcement Division (SLED), Berkeley County, Orangeburg County Sheriff's Office, and other agencies teaming up to address the issue.
“The general public and most people think small towns don’t have crime but we have crimes just like other communities, it’s just a smaller volume," said Norway Police Chief Edgar Williams. "So we have the same activity that occurs in Norway that’s in Orangeburg,"
While law enforcement is working vigilantly to stop car jackings, they encourage others to do their part in helping prevent it.
“Enter your vehicle as quickly as possible when leaving a building. Make sure the keys are in hand as individuals approach your vehicles be observant for suspicious persons and activity where you are," said Austin.