Weekly Church Crime News 10/14/2022

(October 12) Woman Gets Prison Term For Embezzling From Athens Church

A Madison County woman was given a prison sentence recently in Athens following a plea of guilty to stealing approximately $185,000 from Young Harris United Methodist Church in Athens. Lacey Lelynn Shubert, 39, of Danielsville entered a guilty plea to eight counts of felony theft on Oct. 4 in Clarke County Superior Court.

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(October 11) Catholic Church In Brazil Desecrated And 28 Statues Of Saints Destroyed

One or more unidentified individuals entered and desecrated a Catholic church in Brazil, destroying all 28 statues of saints, to the pain and outrage of the faithful. The attack took place Oct. 10 around noon in São Mateus church in the town of São Mateus do Sul located in Paraná state in southern Brazil.

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(October 11) Thieves Hit 2 More Churches In Same Area

The Wilkes Sheriff’s Office is now investigating a least three recent break-ins and thefts at churches in the same area of eastern Wilkes County. The two latest incidents occurred at Pleasant Grove Baptist Church on Clingman Road in the Clingman community and at Mountain Valley Missionary Baptist Church on South Plum Ridge Road in the Cranberry community.

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(October 11) Dominica Man Sentenced To One Year For Stealing Wine From Church

ROSEAU, Dominica (CMC) – Chief Magistrate of Dominica, Candia Carette-George, has sentenced a man to one year in jail for stealing, but not before telling him that “it is one thing to steal, but to steal from the church and the people of God is grave.” The magistrate imposed the jail term on Jeffery Charles nearly one year after he was stopped by police on a street in the capital with a bag.

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(October 10) 3 Charged Following Shooting At Clemson Church Parking Lot 

CLEMSON, S.C. (WSPA) – Three people were facing charges Monday in connection with a September shooting in the parking lot of a Clemson church. Clemson Police said 19-year-old Jayveon Bostick-Barnette was arrested and charged with attempted murder, armed robbery, and possession of a weapon during the commission of a felony.

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(October 10) Man Arrested After Stabbing Catholic School Employee, Throwing Molotov Cocktail At Church

An Oklahoma man has been arrested after stabbing a Catholic school employee and throwing a Molotov cocktail at a church that burst into flames and shattered windows, making it the latest incident of violence directed at churches in recent months. The stabbing took place Wednesday at approximately 4 p.m. local time in front of Holy Family Cathedral Church in downtown Tulsa.

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(October 10) Police Search For A Nairobi Church Caretaker Who Stole Sh1.5 Million From The Altar

Police in Nairobi are in pursuit of a suspect who allegedly broke into ACK All Saints Mountain View Church in Nairobi’s Kangemi area and made away with Sh1.5 million. The money, which was meant for the church’s development, was raised during a service on Sunday and had been kept in a drawer at the altar, according to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI).

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(October 08) Two Teenagers Arrested In Decorah Church Burglary

DECORAH, Iowa (Iowa's News Now) — An arrest has been made in the August burglary at Stone Ridge Community Church in Decorah, Iowa. Winneshiek County Sheriff say Caleb N. Peel, 18, and Teagen J. Raatz, 19, were arrested on Tuesday and taken into custody. They are both charged with third-degree felony burglary and second-degree felony theft.

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(October 07) East Memphis Church Fire Investigated As Arson

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The Memphis Fire Department is investigating a fire that started at a vacant church on Perkins in East Memphis. A fire originally started at the old Colonial Cumberland Presbyterian Church at around 4:30 p.m. Thursday afternoon, but another blaze popped up after 10:30 p.m. Thursday night. The fire originally started in a first-floor classroom, but firefighters were able to get it under control.

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(October 07) Two Women Accused Of Vandalizing, Stealing Gas From Ky. Church Vans

LAUREL COUNTY, Ky. (WKYT) - Two people are accused of stealing gasoline from church vans. The Laurel County Sheriff’s Office says the crime happened on Monday and deputies say, once pictures of the crime were posted, they were able to quickly make arrests. The two were arrested after a video was posted of them in a red truck in the parking lot of the Victory Baptist Church in Lily. Two vans were vandalized, with holes cut in their gas tanks.

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