Surfside Beach Police investigators and the U.S. Marshal Service Fugitive Task Force arrested two fugitive burglary and theft suspects in a Myrtle Beach hotel.
Ray Alan Bell, 48, and William Ernest Miller, 47 of Socastee had been hiding out in an ocean front hotel for several days, according to Surfside Beach Police Chief Mike Frederick.
The men were wanted in connection to what police say is a string of daytime burglaries committed in Surfside Beach on Saturday and Sunday. The men were also wanted by the Myrtle Beach and Horry County police departments on separate offenses.
Both men are charged with Criminal Conspiracy, Attempted 2nd Degree Burglary (5 counts), 2nd Degree Burglary (4 counts), and Possession of Criminal Tools (7 counts). Bell also faces charges of Driving Under Suspension, Operating Uninsured, Leaving the Scene of an Accident with Property Damage, and Failure to return Suspended License Plate. Both are scheduled to appear in municipal court Thursday morning for bond hearings.
Frederick says the investigation was a cooperative effort between the Myrtle Beach Police Department, Horry County Police Department and the Surfside Beach Police Department. "None of us had the entire picture," Frederick said, "Which is why it's so satisfying when interagency cooperation results in the closure of a string of important cases such as these."
