Oconee County Sheriff’s Office Arrests Westminster Man on Two Counts of First Degree Burglary

Steven Lee Hightower

(Walhalla, SC)-------------------------------------A Westminster man remains in jail today after his arrest this week on multiple charges, which include two counts of First Degree Burglary.

29 year old Steven Lee Hightower, of Manor Road, was booked into the Oconee County Detention Center at around 5:09pm Tuesday.  Besides the two First Degree Burglary charges, Hightower was also charged with one count each of Second Degree Burglary, Grand Larceny, Malicious Injury to Real Property, Malicious Injury to Personal Property and Petit Larceny.

An Investigator Sergeant from the Property Crimes Unit of the Criminal Investigations Bureau was assigned an investigation into multiple break-ins of a residence on Choestoea Road, which is located in southern Oconee County. 

Two of the burglaries occurred on the same date of May 25^th of this year, with one of the burglaries on that date occurring during the early morning hours, while the other burglary on that date occurred during the mid-afternoon hours.  Hightower was identified as a suspect in the burglaries due to evidence obtained during the course of the investigation. 

As a result of the burglary that occurred during the early morning hours of May 25^th, Hightower damaged two windows of the residence in order to make entry into the residence.  During the break-in that occurred in the mid-afternoon hours of May 25^th, Hightower reportedly made entry inside of the residence via a door of the residence.  During the course of the two burglaries on May 25^th, Hightower stole items including tools and a leaf blower. 

A third and separate burglary at the same residence was also reported to the Sheriff’s Office on the evening of May 27^th.  As a result of this investigation, Hightower was charged in arrest warrants with making entry into the residence during the nighttime and stealing a mini-fridge. 

During the course of the investigations, and according to an arrest warrant, Hightower has also been charged with causing damage to four cameras by cutting the wires of the cameras.

The Oconee County Sheriff’s Office is continuing its investigation.  Hightower will be required to wear an electronic monitoring device, as a condition of bond, should he be released from jail.  Hightower’s current surety bond amount stands at $99,410.00.