Larry Speaks, Jr.

A Beaufort man is in jail after being caught breaking into the SCE&G Power Station last night.

Just before 9:00 pm last night, deputies responded to an activated alarm at the power station located at 2 Bogus Lane. Upon arrival, deputies noticed a black male subject standing in the roadway carrying two small bundles of copper wire. As they approached, they also heard what sounded like second individual running through the nearby woods.

The first subject then fled, leading deputies on a short foot pursuit through the woods towards the area of Roberts Lane. Deputies lost sight of the suspect, but were able to track his movements by the sounds of him running through the dense trees and underbrush. Deputies continued to search until they finally located him hiding under a mobile home off of Jonesfield Rd.

The subject, identified as 19-year-old Larry Speaks, Jr., was taken into custody without incident and placed under arrest. Speaks was transported to the Beaufort County Detention Center where he remains on a $13,262 bond for the following charges:

• Unlawful Entry into an Enclosed Place
• Malicious Injury to an Electric Utility System
• Petit Larceny
• Fleeing to Evade Arrest/Detention

Upon returning to the power station, deputies located a pair of bolt cutters lying on the ground and discovered the lock to the station's gate had been cut. Deputies also recovered approximately 20 feet of copper wire nearby. Representatives responding on behalf of SCANA were able to confirm that the recovered copper wire had, indeed, been stolen from the facility.

The second subject, believed to have fled the scene as deputies were arriving, was not captured and has not, as of yet, been identified. The Sheriff's Office is asking anyone with any information to please contact the Beaufort County Dispatch Center at 843-524-2777.