Mount Pleasant Investigation Led to Shoplifting Ring Discovery

Authorities say an investigation by the Mount Pleasant Police Department led to an arrest and seizure of more than $100,000 in stolen goods Wednesday.

The Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office, which is now leading the investigations, expects more arrests.

Dozens of boxes of merchandise worth more than $100,000, most of it pet supplies, was confiscated from Mr. Flaps Pawn Shop in Goose Creek and from a Summerville home.

Felicia Sanders Smith, 44, of 558 Butternut Road in Summerville, has been charged  with receiving and possession of stolen goods valued at $10,000 or more.

According to authorities, the investigation began in January following arrests made in a Mount Pleasant shoplifting incident. Information from that investigation led to the Goose Creek pawn shop. Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Dan Moon also said an unnamed informant was key in the investigation.

“It’s believed that Ms. Smith gave a list of items she wanted shoplifted to a group of individuals,” said Moon.

Stolen items Items were then allegedly sold in the Goose Creek Boulevard pawn shop or online. Officers would not identify the eBay account used in the web sales, but noted it was being shut down.

No other employees at the pawn shop have been charged and the store reopened this morning.

Six more suspects, believed to have been the shoplifters, have been identified and are being sought in the investigation, Moon said. Their names will be made available as formal charges are filed and arrests are made.

The items believed to have been stolen included flea and tick medicine and similar pet products that were unusual finds at a pawn shop. Most of the items confiscated in the store Wednesday were still in the original packaging.