Trenton man gets 20 years in jail for burglary

A 19-year-old Trenton man was sentenced to 20 years in prison Monday morning for entering a home and taking electronics, all while being caught on a home surveillance system installed by the homeowner.

Hulitt B. Boyd, 19, of Courtney Road in Trenton, pleaded guilty to burglary first degree and was sentenced to 20 years in prison by Judge Doyet "Jack" Early.

Boyd, along with two other men who still remain at large, entered a Springfield Church Road home in Trenton in the late evening hours of Sept. 8, 2011, and removed items from the home that included two flat-screen televisions, a computer, a rifle and an Xbox 360.

When the homeowner returned home after midnight and unlocked the door to the home, he heard noises inside and called law enforcement. The men fled from the house and the homeowner chased after them, firing a shot in their direction, but the men were not harmed or located.

Their activities were caught on video during the time they were in the house.

The homeowner installed the indoor and outdoor surveillance equipment with infrared capabilities because the home had been burglarized four months before, Solicitor J. Strom Thurmond Jr. said in court.

Boyd was detained after a family member told authorities that Boyd called in the days following the burglary and attempted to sell him a flat-screen television and Xbox 360, and Boyd was matched to the still images taken from the surveillance footage.

The state recommended a 15-year sentence for Boyd, but Early sentenced him to 20 years, with credit for the time he has served.

"It's a shame homeowners need to install infrared cameras to protect their property," Early said.

A petit larceny charge against Boyd was dismissed following the plea.

Anna Dolianitis is a reporter for the Aiken Standard. She covers the Department of Energy's Savannah River Site, as well as court and legal matters affecting Aiken County. She has been with the Aiken Standard since August 2010.