Warrant issued in church burglary
An arrest warrant has been issued for a 43-year-old Brier Hill man charged with burglary and theft after he stole a jug full of donations for the needy from the St. Agnes Catholic Church in Richeyville last week, according to Centerville police. The warrant issued by Magisterial District Judge William Pelkey charged John Majoros with burglary, theft, criminal trespass and institutional vandalism after he allegedly smashed a glass door at the parish April 13 with a brick and stole about $500 worth of donations intended for the needy, police said.
Centerville Police Chief David Simon said several people at a nearby social hall witnessed the incident at the Washington County church and gave police a solid lead in the investigation.
The St. Agnes break-in is just one of several area church burglaries to occur over the last three weeks.
Area vandals and thieves hit two Fayette County churches Easter Sunday.
State police trooper D.W. Simpson said a window was broken at St. Procopius Church in New Salem between 10 a.m. and 7:45 p.m. Sunday and a steel door was damaged. The suspect was not able to gain access to the interior of the church, police said.
In Leckrone, a stained-glass window at St. Mary’s church was smashed in an attempted burglary that occurred between 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. Sunday, police said.
Police are continuing to investigate both incidents.
Earlier this month, the Fort Burd United Presbyterian Church in Redstone Township was ransacked and about $50 was stolen, police said.
While police said the church did not sustain damage in the break-in, church parishioners maintain a window was broken and a door was pried in the incident.
And in another church break-in, a 27-inch television, a videocassette recorder and cash was stolen from the First Church of the Nazarene in Allison during a nighttime burglary April 1, police said.