Welcome to HickoryRecord.com. Skip directly to: our Keyword Search, Section Navigation, Content.

HickoryRecord.com - Hickory Daily Record

HomeNewsEntertainmentSportsLifestylesOpinionCommunityWeather Online Tools Jobs | Real Estate | Shopping | Classified

Police: Lenoir church break-ins likely are related

Eight houses of worship have been targeted

DETAILS

Lenoir churches broken into in the last month include:
• Mount Pilgrim Baptist Church
• Trinity United Methodist Church
• Saint Francis of Assisi Catholic Church
• Liberty Baptist Church

By Richard Gould | Hickory Daily Record

Published: August 12, 2009

LENOIR - Eight Lenoir churches have been broken into in the past two months, said Sgt. Daryl Cornett of the Lenoir Police Department.

Investigators think the crimes are related because similar methods have been used. The thieves are using similar points of entry and stealing the same types of things from the churches.

"Someone's been forcing their way in and taking small amounts of currency," Cornett said.

A statue of St. Francis was used to break two doors and caused thousands of dollars in damage to the Saint Francis of Assisi Catholic Church.

"I think it's a shame because if someone had come and asked us for help, we would have given it to them," said church member Joy Stone.

Roger Mitchell, a deacon at Liberty Baptist Church, said, "I think someone who breaks into a church has to be pretty bold. To me that's borderline blasphemy. Going into the house of God ... a house dedicated to the Lord in order to rob and steal."

"Yes it was wrong, but we are above trying to go and seek vengeance," said Pastor James Perkins of Mount Pilgrim Baptist Church. "The Bible says vengeance is mine said the Lord, so we are about praying."

Investigators have not identified a suspect, but are gathering leads and information by interviewing church members, neighbors and people in the community.

The case is a priority for the department.

"It's the top of the list right now," Cornett said.

Anyone with information about the church break-ins is asked to call the Lenoir Police Department at 757-2100 or Crimestoppers at 758-8300.

Media partner WSOC-TV contributed to this report.