Thieves Continue To Target Churches To Steal Electronics

Police say bandits are targeting local churches to steal thousands of dollars worth of electronics.

The latest church burglary was reported Monday on South Terrace Avenue in the Hilltop.

Pastor Larry Jones said it is the third time in the past year that thieves have robbed his church. They’ve taken nearly $9,000 worth of property.

Jones has been the pastor at the Church of the Living God for decades, but no year has been quite like this one.

On Monday, burglars busted through the front door and stole all of his electronic equipment, right down to the wires.

And Jones is not alone.

“The guy that put the locks in said the church on Midland Avenue has been robbed five times in the last year, everything out of his church,” said Jones.

Columbus Police have responded to several recent church break-ins and officers said the criminals will stop at nothing to avoid getting caught.

Jones said what is most upsetting is that the burglars have done this before and went as far as to cut the security wire so the alarm company was not called.
    
The alarm has been replaced and Jones said services will resume.

He also had a message for the thieves that nearly wiped his house of worship clean.

“They may get along but they're not getting by, and their day will come,” said Jones.

Police have recommended installing surveillance cameras to help catch the criminals.

10TV News has not gotten confirmation from authorities on whether some or all of the burglaries are related.

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