A masked man tried to break into a Mount Pleasant trading card shop before dawn with a chainsaw and a drill, then returned with a hammer to try to free a stuck drill bit before driving off empty-handed in a white SUV. Mount Pleasant police are now asking the public for help identifying the suspect who targeted Collector's Corner at 2700 N. Highway 17.
Police were alerted to the attempted break-in a little after 4 a.m., according to the Moultrie News. The suspect, dressed in black clothing with a black mask and blue gloves, first peered through the shop's front windows before making his move. At 4:17 a.m. he came back carrying a chainsaw and tried to break through the glass panel in the middle window, though that attempt failed.
A Changing Arsenal at the Front Door
Minutes later, at 4:18 a.m., the suspect switched tactics and tried to drill through the deadbolt on the side of the front door, per the same report. The drill bit got stuck in the door. He then disappeared briefly before reappearing at 4:24 a.m. holding a hammer, which he tried to use to release the stuck bit. He left roughly a minute later.
Before leaving, the man looked out toward the parking lot, then reportedly drove away from the shopping area in a white SUV at about 4:25 a.m. Police canvassed the store's perimeter but reportedly came up empty. The Moultrie News report notes the incident occurred at a poorly lit location, which may complicate efforts to identify the suspect.
Evidence Left Behind, Cameras Under Review
Officers submitted the drill bit and the gloves left at the scene into evidence. Investigators are also seeking surveillance footage from cameras outside the neighboring Jimmy Rosso Pizza shop and trying to locate a vehicle tag using surrounding Flock cameras, according to the article.
This is not the only business break-in attempt Mount Pleasant police have investigated recently. In February 2024, an officer responding to an alarm at Diamonds Direct spotted a vehicle speeding away without its lights on, and found the store's back door damaged with a crowbar left on the ground, according to ABC News 4. The door bar had been pried nearly loose, and the crowbar was entered into evidence; as of Feb. 19, 2024, no arrests had been made and the investigation remained open.
Other Recent Cases in the Area
Police also searched for a man who tried to break into Polly's Jewelry on N. Highway 17 around 6:15 a.m. in a separate incident, fleeing on foot toward the Cambria Hotel, as reported by Count on 2. Surveillance images from that case showed a suspect wearing a black long-sleeve shirt with white lettering and a colorful image on the back, along with black-and-white shoes.
In a separate, unrelated case earlier this year, Mount Pleasant police charged two Charleston residents after recovering an estimated $500,000 in stolen collectible coins and other items tied to a string of storage-unit burglaries, per ABC News 4. Those two suspects were taken into custody on Feb. 16, 2026, each facing six burglary charges, with additional charges expected as that investigation continued.
Police are looking for the suspect in connection with the Collector's Corner incident. Anyone with information or relevant footage is encouraged to contact Mount Pleasant police as the search for the suspect continues.
