The Community Times Dispatch

Two men identified on October 21, 2008 by Walterboro Public Safety Officers as suspected burglars are more likely characterized as victims. Although officers arrested Robert Lee Daniels, 43, of Yemassee and Johnny Lee Griffin, 43, of Yemassee in connection with an attempted burglary of the vacant multi-unit facility, formerly know as the Villager Inn on North Jefferies Boulevard in Walterboro, the charges against the two men have gone away. Griffin said Tuesday that he and Daniels were on the property at the request of a trusted Walterboro business owner that he had numerous contracts with throughout the years. The businessman allegedly misrepresented himself as the owner of the Villager Inn property and then entered into an agreement with Griffin and Daniels to have air conditioning units taken from that property and delivered to his hotel

Griffin said that when the businessman approached him about the request, it seemed legitimate but that he told the man that he would have to bring someone else to complete the job because his physical health would not support him doing it. So when, officers arrived on site he explained the agreement he believed was with the owner. Officers made contact with the true property owner who had no knowledge of the same.

“I have been knowing Mr. Patel for a pretty long time because I used to do some mirror work for him,” said Griffin. But after we got one air conditioner loaded on the truck, then the city police rolled up and asked us what we were doing. I said the owner told us to move these air conditioners and bring them back to him. They said, ‘no.’ So, I said call the owner. The real owner didn’t know anything about it…come to find out that Mr. Patel did not own the hotel.”

Griffin said he and Daniels were charged with second degree burglary and booked into the Colleton County Detention Center that Tuesday evening. He was bailed out on Wednesday.

“On that Thursday, I got back to Walterboro and I talked to Mr. Chris Warren at the Walterboro Police Department…I thank Chris Warren for listening to me, because most policeman don’t listen to you,” Griffin said.

Griffin described the process whereby he worked with Detective Angela Stallings at the Walterboro Public Safety Department to prove reveal the truth. “We went to the preliminary hearing and it happened so, the charges were dropped.”

“My family was pretty shocked over it,” said Griffin. I’m a family of four. I got a daughter going in the Army on January nineteenth and I got a daughter graduating from the twelfth grade this year. I take care of my mother and have been for the last year. I took care of my father…he was on bed rest for two years and I took care of him. I’m a hard worker and I come from a Christian family. I would never dream of stealing anything.”