County worker charged with stealing handgun

John Aaron Hines

By DEUCE NIVEN

tribdeuce@tabor-loris.com

     A Columbus County Public Works employee from Clarendon has been charged with stealing a gun from a vehicle while on duty in his county owned vehicle.

     John Aaron Hines, 25, of Todd Town Road, Clarendon, was arrested on Aug. 23 in the Aug. 15 theft that took place on Smyrna Road, Whiteville, a news release from Columbus County Sheriff Jody Greene said.

     Charged with breaking and entering, and larceny of a firearm, Hines was booked into the Columbus County Detention Center and released under a $15,000 unsecured bond.

     Hines is accused of breaking into a vehicle in the 2900 block of Smyrna Road and stealing a Ruger LCP .380 handgun, the news release said. At the time Hines was employed by the county, and “possessed the stolen firearm while operating a county issued vehicle,” the news release said.

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