Myrtle Beach Police investigate parking meter destruction

MYRTLE BEACH, SC (WBTW) – Myrtle Beach Police are investigating damage to several parking meters in the oceanfront area of the city.

Police received at least five reports of meter vandalism on Sunday night or Monday morning.

In all the cases, someone reported one or more parking meters pulled out of the ground, smashed into pieces and/or otherwise cracked open. In some cases, the entire meter was reported missing.

In one case, a city employee reported four stolen meters and two more left broken open and emptied. The employee discovered the damage on Monday morning around 8:20. The employee told police the meter vandalism has been a problem for the past few weeks.

“He informed me that all up and down Ocean Blvd. someone has been breaking them open and taking money out of them or taking the whole meter itself,” one officer wrote in a police report.

That report referenced nine other reports of similar damage to parking meters. The officer also wrote that beach access surveillance cameras may be helpful in finding the person/people responsible.

Meters were reported missing at the following locations on Sunday night or Monday morning:

• The 200 block of 8^th S.
• The 1100 block of S. Ocean Blvd.
• The 200 block of 12^th S.
• The 100 block of Willam St. (at S. Ocean Blvd.)
• 28^th S at S. Ocean Blvd.