$40K in electronics stolen from Indian Land AT&T store

Thieves apparently went through the ceiling of an Indian Land AT&T store to steal thousands of dollars in merchandise over the weekend, according to the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office.

Break-ins were reported Saturday morning at the Mattress Firm and AT&T stores, which are joined by a wall in a shopping center on Charlotte Highway in Indian Land, said Doug Barfield, a spokesman for the sheriff’s office. Entry was made through a door on one of the businesses, but it’s not clear which one was entered first.

There was damage on a common wall that created access between the two stores, Barfield said. There was also damage to the ceiling in the AT&T store where it appears the suspects entered a secure room that housed inventory.

The alarm system and a computer in the Mattress Firm were damaged, but nothing appeared to be taken from that store, Barfield said. Investigators estimate about $40,000 in electronic equipment and devices were taken from AT&T.

It’s not clear how many suspects there are, and the burglaries remain under investigation.

Barfield said the AT&T security company received an alarm call and notified the store’s keyholders, but Lancaster County deputies were not dispatched for that call.

This story was originally published August 25, 2015 at 2:22 PM with the headline "$40K in electronics stolen from Indian Land AT&T store."