Weekly Church Crime News 12/26/2022

(December 22) Officials Search For Two Suspects Who Stole Mail From A Church

CAMPBELL COUNTY, Va. (WFXR) — The Campbell County Sheriff’s Office is asking for the community’s help in identifying two suspects who it believes are involved in stealing mail from a church on Timberlake Road on Dec. 17. Deputies say a video showed two people in Toyota Sienna taking the mail from the mailbox.

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(December 22) Police Catch Man In The Act Of Stealing Phone And Internet Cable

FLOYD COUNTY, Ky. (WYMT) - Deputies in Floyd County say stopped one man who was trying to steal thousands of dollars worth of utility service cable. In a Facebook post, officials with the sheriff’s department say they were called out to the Goose Creek community around 3 a.m. Wednesday on a report that two men were cutting the cable in an effort to steal it.

Once police arrived on scene, one of the men took off into the hills while deputies were able to chase another one down and take him into custody.

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(December 22) Former Norwalk Church Minister Accused Of Child Sex Assaults Threatened To Kill Latest Victim, Warrant Shows

NORWALK — A former youth minister who is facing more charges related to a series of child sexual assaults threatened to kill the latest victim if he reported the incidents, according to his arrest warrant. 

Jean Bernard, 44, of Shelton, is facing numerous charges related to sexually abusing multiple victims while working as a youth minister at Mont Des Oliviers Seventh-day Adventist Church in Norwalk, according to court documents. 

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(December 21) Caught On Camera: Nativity Scene Stolen From Church In Louisiana

SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL/KMSS) – Someone boldly snatched several pieces of a South Shreveport church Nativity scene in broad daylight over the weekend, and it was all caught on camera. 

Now, Baptist Tabernacle on East Kingston Road is hoping someone will recognize the woman who rolled up in a maroon SUV to the cutout-style nativity scene on the lawn in the north parking lot around 7 a.m. Saturday and helped themselves to Jesus, Mary, Joseph, and all three of the Wise Men.

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(December 21) CAUGHT ON CAMERA: Nativity Scene Stolen From Shreveport Church

SHREVEPORT, La. (KSLA) - Someone stole the nativity scene from a church in Shreveport... and it was all caught on surveillance video. The theft happened Saturday, Dec. 17 at Baptist Tabernacle.

The church’s video tech posted about the theft on Facebook Tuesday, Dec. 20. She says the incident happened Saturday morning around 7 a.m.

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(December 19) Former Church Treasurer Indicted For Stealing More Than $25K

FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. (WJBF) — A former church treasurer has been indicted for theft after an investigation uncovered that she stole more than $25,000 from the church over several years. According to ABC affiliate WSB-TV, Peggy Coker Hicks was employed at Union Hill Church in Forsyth County from 2012-2019.

A witness informed investigators in October 2019 that they believed Hicks was stealing from the church.

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(December 19) Brooklyn Pastor Arrested On Charges Of Defrauding A Member Of His Flock

In the months since masked gunmen robbed a flamboyant Brooklyn pastor during his Sunday church service, he has portrayed himself as a double victim — of the crime itself and of the subsequent media scrutiny that dredged up allegations of fraud that had trailed him for years.

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(December 16) Volunteer indicted after reportedly stealing church funds

A former volunteer has been indicted on two theft counts after allegedly taking money from a south Forsyth County church. In December, Peggy Coker Hicks was indicted on two counts of theft by taking after allegedly taking currency from Union Hill Church, located at 4250 McGinnis Ferry Road, between October 2012 and April 2019. 

In a statement to the Forsyth County News on Wednesday, Dec. 14, the Rev. Stephen Harmon said Hicks was a former volunteer at the church and expressed “sadness and disappointment” from church leadership.

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(December 16) Man Arrested In Connection With Newberry County Church Burglary

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS) - The Newberry County Sheriff’s Office is reporting a man has been arrested in connection to a burglary at a Newberry County church. Officials said 34-year-old Matthew Christopher Temples has been arrested for burglary and possession of cocaine.

On Wednesday, December 14, the Sheriff’s Office received a report that a church on C R Koon Highway had been burglarized.

The pastor of the church said a laptop computer, guitar, money, and other small items were taken according to officials.

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(December 16) Florida Pastor, Son Arrested For Alleged $8 Million PPP Fraud

Investigations into misuse of federal pandemic-relief funds have nabbed another church leader, along with his adult son. On Wednesday (Dec. 14), Evan Edwards, 64, and son Josh Edwards, 30, were arrested at the family’s Florida home. According to a federal indictment, the pair defrauded the U.S. government out of more than $8 million in Paycheck Protection Program loans.

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