JONESVILLE — The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division Arson Team is assisting in the investigation of a fire and burglary at Forest Street Grill.

A report said Carl Byrd, the manager of the restaurant, came in around 10 a.m. Thursday to open the grill and found water coming out from under the front door. He told Cpl. Scott Ruby with the Union County Sheriff’s Office that he opened the door and found fire and smoke damage and saw that the back door was open. The Jonesville Fire Department was called.

Around $19 in change was missing from the cash register and $15 in candy money was taken from a cup on the counter. Two rib eye loins worth $240 were stolen from the freezer.

Capt. James McNeil with the sheriff’s office said substantial damage was done to the restaurant but no one reported seeing flames or smoke coming from the building.

“Samples were taken and we are trying to find the source of ignition,” McNeil said.

Thefts

At Buffalo Pawn Shop on 933 Main St., Buffalo, the theft of $100 worth of rings was reported Thursday.

An employee told Sgt. Russell Vinson the rings were in order by pawn numbers and she found the envelope that held the rings on a table in the restroom. Missing are a 10 karat gold man’s wedding ring with small diamonds, a 10 karat gold man’s flower cluster ring, a man’s band with diamonds and a man’s 10 karat Masonic ring.

On 573 Goldmine Road, Pauline, a victim told Vinson Thursday that someone took his Ridgid saw worth $200, his Troybilt tiler worth $600 and his Wild Thing saw worth $160.

At Union County High School, the parent of a student told Investigator Brian Bailey the boy’s LG Envy II cell phone was taken from his book bag while he was at football practice. Records indicated text messages were sent after the phone was stolen. It is worth $230.

Flimflam

An Austin Road man told Sgt. Jeff Wright he received a letter from Claim Service in Canada. Inside was a check for $4,850 with instructions to cash the check and send the company back $2,850 to pay the taxes on $215,000 he would receive. The man said he tried to call the number on the letter but was unable to talk with anyone. The letter and check were turned over to the sheriff’s office.