A motor grader in Long County sustained substantial damage in a vandalism incident late last week.

Capt. Nickey Anderson of the Long County Sheriff’s Office said someone broke the majority of the glass on Thursday night or Friday morning and also sliced one of the large rear tires on a Caterpillar motor grader that was parked at the corner of Rye Patch and Groover roads. 

Anderson said the vehicle is parked at that location when crews from the county are working in that area.

 “When the crew left it on Thursday at 5, it was fine,” Anderson said. “But when they came in this morning, they discovered the damage. It has been being parked there for years and we’ve never had any problems.”

The captain said the vandalized equipment would have to be repaired before the motor grader can be used again.

Commissioner Wallace Shaw, whose 2nd District includes the Rye Patch community, said the cost to repair the equipment would not be cheap.

“When you’re talking about equipment like that, it doesn’t take much damage to get into the thousands of dollars,” he said. “There is no sense in stuff like this taking place.”

Shaw said the county in recent months has endured several other cases of vandalism relating to road signs and private property.

The entrance sign at Timberland Estates and the well for the Rye Patch Road subdivision also were vandalized, according to Anderson

“The sign, the well and the fence around the well have been hit recently,” the captain said. “We don’t know if the two cases are related, but both are under investigation.”

Shaw said there is a reward being offered for information relating to the motor-grader incident.

“The county is offering a $500 reward for any information that leads to an arrest and conviction of the person or people who damaged the motor grader,” he said.

Anderson said the sheriff’s office is asking the public for help with these cases.

“If anyone knows anything about these cases, we are urging them to call us,” the captain said. “Also, we are letting people know to be on the lookout, and if they see anyone doing anything that looks like vandalism or where they aren’t supposed to be, please give us a call.”

Anyone with information about the cases should call the Long County Sheriff’s Office at 912-545-2118.