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Teens stealing cars using 'Snapchat' game, deputies say

Early Wednesday morning, deputies say the juveniles stole five vehicles within 30 minutes.

RICHLAND COUNTY, S.C. — In Richland County multiple teenagers stole several cars in less than an hour, and deputies said it has to do with a new game on SnapChat.

"In this case, it's a game that is breaking the law," Cynthia Roldan with the Richland County Sheriff's Department said. 

On January 9, five cars were stolen around 7 a.m. according to Richland County Sheriff's Department. 

"Our investigators learned that there was a game going around where juveniles were challenging each other on social media to steal as many vehicles as they could with the goal of taking a picture in the vehicle," Roldan said.

In these five cases the cars were considered easy targets for the teens.

"So far, these have been vehicles that left warming up in their driveways," Roldan said.

Now deputies are stressing everyone to not leave their cars on while they are unattended.

"Unfortunately it's a county-wide issue because juveniles can reach each other through social media in any part of the county," Roldan said. "So that's why it is important that no matter where you live, you simply do not leave your car running unattended."

In the next county over, Kershaw County Sheriff Lee Boan posted about the car theft on Facebook as a warning for others.

"I don't know what they are thinking there, it's new for breaking in and stealing cars, but it is not new to criminals. They sometimes make our jobs easier when they do stuff like that," Sheriff Boan said. 

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