Burglars Hit 3 Booths at US 1 Flea Market

Three vendors at the U.S. 1 Metro Flea Market reported a total of more than $8,000 in goods stolen, according to a Lexington County Sheriff's Department incident report.

A deputy responded to a burglary call at the flea market around 9:45 a.m. Saturday. One vendor told the deputy that someone busted the lock on his unit and stole several packs of t-shirts and hats, according to the report. The estimated value of the items is $5,000. 

The vendor said he was last at his booth on Aug. 8, according to the report.

While the deputy was talking to the vendor, another vendor approached the deputy and said that three or more laptops were stolen from two booths just a short distance from the first vendor's booth, according to the report. The laptops are worth $200 each. There was no damage to those booths.

A third vendor told the deputy that he parked his trailer outside his unit Friday night in preparation for business Saturday, according to the report. During the night, someone cut the front locks on the trailer, climbed in through and window and stole a Casio cash register, jewelry beads, jewelry tools and wire jewelry. 

The vendors started working in the booths and in the trailer before deputies could gather any evidence, according to the report. It is unclear if the three burglaries were related.