PENNSYLVANIA COMPUTERS STOLEN FROM CHURCH'They must be desperate, to break into a church''They must be desperate, to break into a church'
Cash, computers taken in 7 burglaries in Cumberland and York counties
Friday, January 21, 2005
BY FRANK COZZOLI
Of The Patriot-News
For the second time in less than a year, a burglary ring is targeting churches on the West Shore.

But unlike the spree last spring that spread to 18 churches in a four-county area, these break-ins have been clustered mainly in Fairview Twp.

Break-ins also have occurred computers have been taken.
"They have left computers behind in some of the churches, so it seems like they're concentrating on money," said Fairview Twp. Detective Jason Loper.

Five of the seven churches are in Fairview Twp.:

Fairview Brethren Church on Evergreen Road and Fishing Creek Salem United Methodist Church on Valley Road were broken into the night of Jan. 10.


New Life Baptist and Red Land Baptist churches on Big Spring Road were broken into the night of Jan. 13.


Crossroads Independent Church on Pleasant View Road was broken into the night of Jan. 14.

Loper said a break-in overnight on Jan. 13 at Tim Leo's Used Cars on Old York Road may be related.

The churches were entered after something was thrown through a window. None of the churches had alarm systems, he said.

"Overall, we're grateful it wasn't any worse than it could have been," said the Rev. Ronald G. Riggins of New Life Baptist Church.

Burglars pried open a safe and stole a small amount of cash and rifled through an office, Riggins said.

"They must be desperate, to break into a church to get money to do whatever they do with it," he said.

"But it's the day and age we live in; anything can happen."

At Fishing Creek Salem United Methodist Church, security will be beefed up after burglars took two Dell computers, a scanner and cash, the Rev. Paul S. Wilcox said.

Damage to a window and two doors could exceed $2,000, Wilcox said.

"We're not sure how we're going to do that," Wilcox said. "But we probably will be tightening our security a bit."

In Lower Allen Twp., petty cash was stolen from Grace Evangelical Church on Carlisle Road. The break-in was discovered Saturday morning.

"Things were gone through, several of the offices were ransacked," said Lower Allen Twp. Police Chief Charles Snyder Jr.

A seventh church, Wyndamere Heights Evangelical Congregational in Newberry Twp., also was broken into recently, police said.

Loper said the break-ins are probably related. Details from Newberry Twp. police were not available.

While Snyder said a task force has not been formed, "the agencies are working together to come up with possible suspects."

The two West Shore men charged in last spring's break-in spree, Brian K. Coen and Eugene C. Weibel, are in state prison. Coen is serving 21/2 to 5 years, while Weibel is serving 5 to 10 years.

In the wake of the recent break-ins, Loper urged churches not to keep large amounts of cash and to make sure their facilities are locked at night.

"The harder you make it for them, the harder it is for [burglars] to take anything," Loper said.