Pastor Livid After New Jersey Church Robbed 9 Times In A Month
NEWARK, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- A series of robberies has hit the most unlikely of places.
A church has been targeted by thieves nine times, CBS2's Scott Rapoport reported on Monday.
Crime was caught on tape in a house of the holy.
"We feel violated," Congregational Baptist Church Pastor Linwood McNeil said.
Surveillance video shows a man who appears to be trying to burglarize the church on Bergen Street in Newark. He brazenly drops in through the ceiling, looks around the office and then tries to bolt when the alarm is activated. He's seen kicking at the church's door.
The scene was captured Friday at around 2 a.m. by cameras inside the church.
"He has violated every code, moral code that you can think of," Pastor McNeil said.
The church has surveillance cameras because the pastor said his house of worship has been robbed nine times over the last four weeks, Rapoport reported.
He said the cameras were installed on Dec. 2, just in time to capture the latest incident.
"It's just heartless and disrespectful to God," McNeil said.
Pastor McNeil said the would-be burglar most of the time comes through the roof, dismantling the rooftop heating unit, making a hole and literally dangling and dropping in. His dirty shoe marks have been seen on the walls.
But the latest incident marked the first time he was caught on camera.
"He has taken computers, printers, copiers, and anything else that's not nailed down," Pastor McNeil said.
In all, the suspect has made off with more than $25,000 in ill-gotten gains, Pastor McNeil said.
When asked what he would say to the person or people responsible, Pastor McNeil said, "Please, please repent."
But for now he and his congregation hope the video will help catch whoever is behind the robberies.
The pastor said it's unclear if one person or a group of individuals are responsible for the robberies, Rapoport said.
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