Spartanburg police are asking the public for help identifying a suspect in a felony jewelry theft at Westgate Mall, after a large quantity of jewelry was reported stolen from the sprawling shopping center on West Blackstock Road. The case, logged under number C26080131, comes as the department settles into a new era of leadership just over a week after naming its next chief.
Police Appeal for Public's Help
According to FOX Carolina, the Spartanburg Police Department requested assistance identifying a suspect in the theft investigation. Anyone with information is asked to contact Sgt. Garrett at 864-591-4379, per the outlet's report. The station's report does not specify the value of the stolen jewelry, whether the theft happened during business hours or after closing, or whether investigators believe more than one person was involved.
Those unanswered questions matter under South Carolina law, since the value of the missing jewelry will help determine what charges, if any, a suspect eventually faces. State statute sets a $2,000 threshold that separates misdemeanor petit larceny from felony grand larceny, according to the South Carolina Legislature's 2025 Code of Laws. Grand larceny convictions can carry up to five years in prison for stolen goods valued under $10,000, and up to ten years for property valued at $10,000 or more.
Westgate Mall's Ownership History
Westgate Mall, which opened in October 1975 and spans more than 954,000 square feet across 52 acres along Interstate 26, is Spartanburg County's only enclosed regional shopping mall, according to a report from SVN Blackstream. The property was sold for $15.15 million on May 23, 2024, with Namdar Realty Group among the buyers, following a bankruptcy filing by former owner CBL Properties and the mall's receivership, the Post and Courier has reported.
The available sources do not establish whether Westgate Mall had a 2023 jewelry burglary or, if so, the value or types of jewelry taken, how long it lasted, whether it was one of five early-2023 break-ins, or whether it sparked public debate about security protocols.
Part of a Broader Pattern in the Upstate
The Westgate Mall investigation centers on a reported commercial theft. The case remains under investigation.
Whether the theft involved more than one person working together to steal retail property for resale or financial gain remains an open question in the investigation. Separately, the case's classification as retail shoplifting or general larceny remains unresolved. Whether the suspect acted alone or as part of a larger theft ring remains an open question in the investigation.
New Police Leadership Overseeing the Case
The theft investigation comes just over a week after Spartanburg City Manager Chris Story named Major Art D. Littlejohn as the department's next police chief, elevating a 38-year veteran who most recently served as major over the patrol services bureau, Hoodline previously reported. Littlejohn was selected following a national search for the department's next leader. For now, the immediate task facing his officers is more direct: identifying who walked away with a large quantity of jewelry from one of the county's most-watched commercial properties, and determining what the investigation establishes about the theft.
