Investigators thought they had thwarted a growing theft trend this summer, but now find themselves again searching after a new round of incidents.

Beginning last February, a rash of utility trailer thefts hit several counties in the Upstate, including Oconee, Pickens, Abbeville and Anderson.

In June, investigators with the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office obtained arrest warrants for Darrell Tipton and Samuel George in connection with the thefts, which were marked by their brazenness, as most of the stolen items were taken out of the victims’ front yards.

“We have warrants signed on these two individuals, but have not served them because they’ve been involved in Anderson and Abbeville and Pickens, and they’re being dealt with there,” Chief Deputy Terry Wilson said. “But we have a hold placed on them.”

Just recently, though, Anderson and Oconee have again been plagued by a string of trailer thefts, while Tipton and George have been incarcerated.

“In the last two weeks, we’ve had four trailers stolen in Oconee County,” Wilson said. “Anderson’s gotten it worse than we have.”

Areas in proximity to Highway 24, which stretches from western Oconee County southward into Anderson, have been the main area of concern for law enforcement. The thefts in Oconee County have taken place near Friendship Road and Old Grove Road, while yesterday there was another attempted theft on Lake Front Road in Townville.

Sgt. David Smith, the lead investigator for the Sheriff’s Office, is currently waiting on a composite drawing of one of the suspects to be completed so it can be distributed.

There are currently two vehicles believed to be connected to the thefts: a red Jeep Cherokee with an Ohio tag, carrying one white male and two white females; and an older model light blue Ford F-150 pickup truck carrying two white males. The red Jeep was identified by neighbors who saw the occupants of the vehicle stop and attempt to hook up a nearby trailer to the back of the SUV before being run off by concerned residents. The blue Ford is believed to have been seen at the vicinity of the other thefts.

“People need to be aware of where they park their trailers and try to store them in as secure a place as they can,” Wilson said. “They do make tongue locks for them. You have to do anything you can to deter it, and at least make them have to make a lot of noise to get to them.”

Parking trailers out of plain sight is also a useful tactic, he added.

Deputies on patrol seeing people hooking up trailers may stop and briefly ask those doing so a question as a precaution against theft, Wilson said, in an effort to protect property owners.

“We’re going to stop and check them,” Wilson said. “The people taking these can get pretty brave about it.”

Those with information on the thefts can contact Smith at (864) 638-4111, or CrimeStoppers at (864) 638-STOP (7867).