Deputies were sent to the Pawleys Island Post Office Jan. 15 after receiving work that several post office mailboxes had been broken into.

The person who called 911 noticed something was strange when he walked in and saw mail piled on the floor in a corner.

The responding officer found 23 boxes had been pried open.

When a postal worker arrived on the scene, officers were provided a list of names of people who rent the boxes that were open.

It is unknown how much mail was taken but in at least one instance, a box of blank checks was taken and opened.

An unknown number of the blank checks were removed from the box.

A video from a security camera was retrieved and has been placed into evidence.

The case was transferred from the Sheriff’s Office to the U.S. Postal Inspection’s Office.

Harry Spratlin, of the US Postal Service, said Thursday the case is still being investigated. So far, no arrests have been made.

He said he has been with the postal service for 15 years and, to his knowledge, this is the first time mailboxes inside a post office have been broken into.

Other stolen mail

In an unrelated but similar incident, a man from Pawleys Creekside Loop reported mail was taken from the mailbox at his home in late December.

The man said he did not know about the theft until he received a call from the Columbia Police Department informing him a man had been arrested.

That man had in his possession a check belonging to the Pawleys Island man.

The 21-year-old man from Columbia also had checks from others in his car when he was stopped.

‘Grandma’s cookies’

found on businesses

A maintenance worker at the Fresh Market in Pawleys Island found graffiti that had been painted on the back of the buildings. The vandalism occurred sometime between Jan. 14-16.

The words “grandma’s cookies” were painted outside the loading dock wall.

The same words were found spray painted on the back of the Pawleys Island Food Lion and Grucho’s Deli.

Fire believed to be intentional

Arson is being blamed for a fire that destroyed what appeared to be an abandoned mobile home on Blue Bird Street Jan. 15.

A fire official told a deputy the mobile home was fully engulfed in flames when firefighters arrived. The electricity was not connected to the trailer and all the copper wiring had been stripped.

The case is still being investigated.

TVs taken

Three flat screen TVs were taken from a home in the 600 block of Waccamaw Drive in Murrells Inlet during a burglary.

Because the house was vacant it’s unknown when the break-in took place but it was sometime this month.

Information  is subject to change as the investigation proceeds. Individuals arrested and/or charged have not been convicted.— Compiled by Scott Harper