Man arrested in ‘screw bandit’ case after months-long probe in South Carolina
By Stephanie Moore
Click here for updates on this story
ELGIN, South Carolina (WYFF) — Officials in a small South Carolina city say they have arrested a suspect known as the “screw bandit”, a man accused of placing screws and nails on roadways in the city.
The Kershaw County Sheriff’s Office said Michael David Branham, 38, of Columbia, was arrested Tuesday morning while he was working at a job site.
Authorities said Branham is accused of multiple incidents in and around Elgin Estates where he put screws and nails on roadways.
This investigation spanned nearly three months and involved extensive surveillance, camera monitoring, and the use of advanced investigative tools and tactics.
Authorities said critical progress was made following a community meeting held on Jan. 20 at the Elgin Community Center, where residents provided key information that helped investigators consolidate and confirm existing evidence.
“We are better when we work together,” Sheriff Lee Boan said. “This was a major case that placed significant stress on our community and our deputies. Engaging our citizens proved absolutely beneficial. This case is a perfect example of how crimes can be solved through community involvement.”
Branham is charged with stalking, breach of peace of a high and aggravated nature, and malicious injury to property.
He is currently being held at the Kershaw County Detention Center.
Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.