A 25-year-old man is charged in a string of late-night burglaries at Greenville County homes where women were alone, and deputies are asking anyone else who may have been targeted to come forward.
The Greenville County Sheriff’s Office identified the suspect as Terron Lamon Banks.
The charges
Sheriff Hobart Lewis said investigators learned on Oct. 16 about several burglaries with what he called very concerning similarities. In each case, someone entered or tried to enter a home where a woman was alone.
Deputies linked Banks to four incidents in September:
- Sept. 19: Tried to enter an occupied apartment at Assembly View Apartments but ran off after the resident woke up.
- Sept. 20: Entered an empty apartment on Boilermaker Road and stole property. He was caught on surveillance video, and a tip helped identify him.
- Sept. 23: Returned to the same Boilermaker Road apartment and tried, unsuccessfully, to break in again.
- Sept. 24: Entered an apartment on Assembly View Circle through an unlocked window while a woman was asleep. Deputies said he went through her phone and sent himself photos from her gallery.
Banks is charged with four counts of first-degree burglary, one count of grand larceny and one count of voyeurism.
Arrested at bus station
Deputies said they tried to stop Banks on West Faris Road on Oct. 19, but he got away. On Oct. 22, Spartanburg County deputies helped arrest him at a bus station as he tried to board a bus to Atlanta.
The sheriff said Banks is originally from the Midwest, had not lived in the area long and has a criminal history.
Five more cases under investigation
Deputies are also investigating five other incidents with similar circumstances, each involving an element of criminal sexual conduct. They happened on Creststone Drive, at apartments on Assembly View Circle, and in the City of Greenville.
Banks has not been charged in those five cases. DNA evidence has been sent to SLED for testing.
The charges against Banks are accusations, and he is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
Deputies ask other victims to call
Investigators want to hear from anyone who:
- Woke up to find a stranger inside their home
- Discovered items missing without explanation
- Noticed unusual activity on their phone or belongings
- Has surveillance video that may help
The sheriff said victims who are afraid or embarrassed to report can call, and deputies will come to them.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office at 864-467-5300.
Deputies also reminded residents to keep doors and windows locked and stay aware of their surroundings.
Source: Greenville County Sheriff’s Office, as reported by FOX Carolina
