June 2
Theft by deception-misdemeanor
A Springfield man told deputies he had received a phone call from someone claiming to be Lt. James Hall of the Effingham County Sheriff’s Department. "Lt. Hall" told him he had been subpoenaed for jury duty and missed his date, causing a bench warrant to be issued. "Lt. Hall" told him he could turn himself in, wait to be picked up by deputies or pay a fine via a Green Dot card. Should he choose to pay the fine, he would receive a court date to appear in front of Judge Ronnie Thompson and he could explain his situation and possibly get his money back.

The victim said he had never received a subpoena and did not want to be arrested. He said "Lt. Hall" told him the only way to avoid being arrested was to pay the fine via a Green Dot card and that "Lt. Hall" would not allow him to hang up because it would be a sign he was running. The victim said he stayed on the phone with "Lt. Hall" as he bought two Green Dot cards, one for $500 and another for $492. The $500 Green Dot card came back as used, and "Lt. Hall" allowed him to speak to his supervisor, "Capt. Adams," who was aggressive. He bought another $500 Green Dot card, bringing the total to $1,492.

After he got off the phone, the victim went to the courthouse and was told no jury was in session for May 30. It was then he realized he had been scammed. A deputy confirmed to him that no person by either name, Lt. Hall or Capt. Adams, was employed at the ECSO and that ECSO would never contact him over the phone about paying a fine. The victim still had the cards he purchased and a sheet of notes he had taken about the phone call.

June 3
Theft by taking-misdemeanor
A man who rents out a Savannah Town Road home said a tenant who had been evicted had taken everything from the home, including taking items that belonged to them, against a court order. He was advised of warrant procedures through the magistrate court.

June 4
Theft by conversion-misdemeanor
A Brooklet woman called the ECSO and said after splitting up with her “baby’s daddy” and moving out of their shared residence, she had left a vehicle at that home. The vehicle had a blown motor and when she went back to the home to retrieve it, it was not there. Her father wanted to fix the vehicle. The victim said her ex-boyfriend may have taken it to a junkyard for “retaliation.”

Theft by taking-misdemeanor
Deputies were called to a Bloomingdale residence after the resident said someone had stolen two two-month-old pit bull puppies from his property. He told deputies one of the neighbors said three teenagers were seen walking down the road with one of the puppies between the time his kids got home from school and he discovered the puppies were missing.

June 5
Identity theft
Deputies were informed by a Rincon woman that she may be the victim of identity theft after a Pay Pal account was opened in her name without her authorization. Money was withdrawn through her bank account with her authorization. She did not know how someone else could obtain her information since she does not have a computer, use email or use the Internet for transactions.

DUI
Weaving over the roadway
Unlawful possession of controlled substances
Failure to report accident with injury or damage
A deputy was sent to the intersection of McCall and Little McCall roads on the report of a reckless driver. A motorist said he was driving in front of a van and watched the driver behind him leave the road several times and “smash and crash” through a “bundle” of mailboxes. He said she didn’t just leave the road, “all of her tires were off the road and was almost in the ditch.”

Deputies finally caught up to her and pulled her over, and she said she did not know why she was being stopped. Her speech was slurred, she fumbled for her documents and she “fumbled” her words around, according to deputies. She was asked to leave the vehicle and initially was unsteady on her feet before gaining her balance. She told deputies she was not under the influence of anything and did not notice hitting any mailboxes or the damage to her vehicle.

She was taken to the jail, and jail staff found a small wallet in a pants pocket that contained several prescription pills.