Two men are in custody accused of breaking and entering the old Dunlop Plant on Highway 123 in Westminster Saturday, and charged with burglary.
The Oconee County Sheriff's Office, along with additional Law Enforcement, responded to reports of burglary.
During a security sweep of the building, Richard Timothy Petaccio and Joshua Martin Harden were found inside.
Both men were arrested and booked into the Oconee County Detention Center.
Petaccio is charged with first degree burglary along with other charges, bond is set at $135,000.
Harden is charged with second degree burglary and other charges, bond is set at $40,000.
Both men remain in custody.
Official Press Release from the Oconee County Sheriff's Office below:
(Seneca, SC)---The Oconee County Sheriff’s Office arrested and charged a Seneca man and West Union man with multiple charges after responding to reports of a burglary Saturday morning at the old Dunlop Plant on Highway 123 near Westminster.
44 year old Richard Timothy Petaccio of West Union was booked into the Oconee County Detention Center around 11:13am Saturday.
Petaccio has been charged with one count each of First Degree Burglary, Malicious Injury to Personal Property and Possession of Tools Capable of Criminal Use.
39 year old Joshua Martin Harden of Seneca was booked into the Oconee County Detention Center around 4:11pm Saturday on charges of Second Degree Burglary, Malicious Injury to Personal Property and Possession of Tools Capable of Criminal Use.
Both subjects remain in custody at this time at the Detention Center with Petaccio’s combined surety bond set at $135,000 and Harden’s combined surety bond amount set at $40,000.
A deputy from the Uniform Patrol Division responded to Dunlop Drive this past Saturday morning and met with units from the Westminster Police Department.
Additional units arrived on the scene and law enforcement went about the process of clearing the building.
As the investigation and the security sweep continued, both Harden and Pettacio were located inside the building.
Both subjects were placed in custody and transported to the Detention Center.
Both subjects are accused of breaking into the building and causing damage to the building while possessing tools in the act of the crime, according to arrest warrants and based on evidence gathered during the investigation.
Besides being served with arrest warrants pertaining to the weekend incident, Pettaccio was also served arrest warrants on charges of First Degree Burglary, Grand Larceny and Malicious Injury to Personal Property in relation to a separate incident that occurred at the old Dunlop plant that was reported to deputies on November 26th, 2019.
In that incident, according to arrest warrants and evidence gathered during the investigation, Petaccio is accused of breaking into the building and carrying away metals while also causing damage to the building.
