Jan 19, 2008 10:05 pm US/Central
Thieves Again Hit Pleasant Grove Church
(CBS 11 News)
A building burglarized and hit by fire in the past two years was victimized again by thieves, but although it was reported on Saturday, the theft actually occurred a week or two ago.
"We're almost afraid to report this stuff that's happening because they say, 'How is this stuff happening?' " admits Pastor Jimmy Clark.
The most recent mishap resulted in water
draining into what was the sanctuary.
"See, they have to have a machine or some kind of pipe, cause they couldn't cut that with a hacksaw," Clark explained as he allowed CBS 11 cameras to tour the building.
"It's somebody that's got experience, that's coming in and getting this kind of copper," Clark said. "It had to be somebody who knew this part (of the church) wasn't being used, wouldn't nobody be over hear so the noise---nobody could hear. "
According to a police report, someone also made off with half of an air conditioning compressor; a twin unit was stolen months earlier.
"They got all the copper pipe; they left the galvanized pipe, but they tore all the copper pipe where they could get it loose, they just took it and broke it loose," Clark said.
"There's a lot of crazy stuff going on."
The building once served as the location for the Pleasant Grove First Baptist Church. Its original worshippers long since gone, it is now the rented home of Clark's All In The Word Family Church.
In 2006, thieves took part of the church's air conditioner for the copper.
In 2007, a still-unsolved fire hit the 104-year-old-sanctuary. Since then, worship services and mission programs must take place in support buildings.
When Bennie Shaw discovered the break-in Saturday morning, he thought "a pipe had busted or something." "We're just holding on by faith."
After Clark admitted the $90,000 compressor theft actually occurred more than a week ago, he was afraid to report the theft until the building's owner returned from out-of-town.
The congregation hadn't moved back into sanctuary after the fire, so it won't affect Sunday services.
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