Florence hit
by some stinking thievery

A machine that keeps Florence’s sewers lines clear and flowing is missing along with 500 feet of drainage rods. A skid-steer also disappeared Sunday but later showed up.

The theft probably was an inside job, mayor Bob Gayle said Monday.

“Somebody knows not only about a sewer machine, but that you have to go looking for the rods or it’s not much use,” he said.

Gayle plans to file an insurance claim, which will carry a $500 deductible.

A trailer was stolen from a resident the same night as the sewer machine went missing. A truck also was stolen from another resident.

In a separate matter, two people were caught stripping copper piping from the Florence nursing home, police chief Derek Fetrow said.

“If I didn’t have all the community’s help, they wouldn’t have gotten caught today,” he said. “I got a lot of phone calls, people telling me what they were driving.”

Bryan Grosse, 38, of Marion was arrested Monday on suspicion of burglary, criminal damage to property, and theft. He was released Tuesday morning on $15,000 surety bond. Eric Williams, 30, of Marion was arrested on suspicion of burglary and criminal damage. He remained in jail Tuesday in lieu of $5,000 surety bond.