Posted on 12/30/2006 2:15:34 AM PST by mastercylinder
A desperate thief stole as much as $30,000 in Christmas collection money from a Queens Catholic church as parishioners prayed and celebrated holiday Mass.
The culprit walked into St. Mel Church in Flushing about 20 minutes into the 9 a.m. service, opened the safe and walked out a side door with a steel security lockbox with the cash inside.
"It's awful, and around this time of year," said Susan Passarello, 47, a member of the mostly Italian parish named after the nephew of St. Patrick.
"How can you steal from a church when there should be peace and togetherness among people? How do you do that?"
Parishioners had donated the money during St. Mel's three Christmas Eve Masses and the 7:30 a.m. Christmas morning Mass.
It was earmarked for church expenses as well as for poor and destitute children in Queens and Brooklyn, said the Rev. Chris Turczany, 53.
The theft left Turczany wondering how he would make the next payroll - or pay upcoming insurance and electric bills. "We may need to appeal to the people," he said, meaning his congregation. The church, he said, is insured.
Chris Urena, 20, a worker at St. Mel, hoped for justice, either from cops or a higher authority.
"God is always watching," Urena said. "These people will be punished in this life or the next."
The thief got the money out of the church safe in the sacristy, the room where the priest prepares for Mass. The church does not have video surveillance equipment, but an alert parishioner saw someone putting the 50-to-100-pound lockbox in the trunk of an SUV - resting it right next to a baby stroller.
The parishioner copied the license plate number and gave it to police.
Turczany said police traced the Vermont plate to a New York resident.
Police officials would not confirm the account of the witness, but acknowledged that there were "some pretty strong leads."
"It's a very bold move," Turczany said. "If they were desperate, there are other ways to get money."
He looked down and added somberly, "I just hope these people are brought to justice so no other church gets hurt."
Asked how many Our Fathers, Hail Marys and Acts of Contrition Turczany would dispense as penance if he encountered the culprit in his confessional, the pastor shook his head and smiled.
"None," he replied. Instead, he had another form of punishment in mind: "Hard labor."
Anyone interested in helping St. Mel can send a donation to the church at 28-20 154th St., Flushing, N.Y. 11354, or contact the Rev. Christopher Turczany at (718) 886-0201.
so someone leaves $30 thousand in a 50 pound safe that can just be carried out the front door with ease? Sounds like the robber and whoever was in charge of keeping the money safe should BOTH be in jail
yep
Sounds like an inside job.
At our local church, I was the head usher at one of the masses for a few years. At that time, the collection was brought forward with the offerings and remained on the steps of the altar until the end of the mass, at which time I would put it in a money bag and deposit it in a security slot in the narthex wall. It was a great distraction, as I did not take my eyes off of the basket full of money for the entire mass.
Of course. Although it doesn't seem like the church secured the money very well. You'd think they'd have it in a safe!
I'm sure many of the offerings were checks, which can be reissued. As far as the cash is concerned, wouldn't theft insurance normally cover this?
Interesting you may be right.
Knew the combination?
Fast Track to Hell: Stealing From a Church on Christmas
Gothamist.com ^ | December 26, 2006 | Gothamist.com
Posted on 12/26/2006 12:39:44 PM CST by DogByte6RER
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1758623/posts
The Crime at the Christmas Mass Is Already Unraveling
The New York Times ^ | December 28, 2006 | ANDY NEWMAN
Posted on 12/27/2006 11:29:05 PM CST by Gondring
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1759268/posts
thank you
We had a poor box taken on Christmas day from our parish. It was only 500.00 but was for the poor.
If this soul who stole it had walked into the office instead, he/she would have gotten much more.
And the blessing was that the Oak Poor Box was left, broken but fixable by the dumpster.
There was a small article in my local paper about a man who robbed a collection jar set up at a convenience store to aid a wounded police officer. The 48 year old father of three was shot in the face and permanently blinded. :-( And then there were the usual stories about robbers taking Christmas presents. What IS it with people like this?
This sounds like the same story reported days ago.
The people responsible have already been caught and the money recovered.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1759268/posts
Al Gore knows about lockboxes.
Sounds like an inside job and it reminds me of the infamous Msgr. C.B. Woodrich at Holy Ghost Church in downtown Denver. Holy Ghost was the Church that many of those attending the McVeigh trial sought refuge and spiritual guidance in. Woodrich became notorious in the early 80s when he opened up the Church during a blizzard and let the homeless camp out in the sanctuary. Over 200 showed up and took him up on his offer. Ted Koppel had him on Nightline and he became a media darling. Koppel never did a follow up to disclose how much the video surveillance system cost that had to be added, at parishioner expense, to the Church because the homeless then thought that they could help themselves to whatever they found in the Church henceforth. No mention of the cost of cleaning up the mess they left behind either.
After Woodrich's demise many questions were raised about missing funds as a result of an audit conducted by the Archdiocese. Turns out Woody had instructed his secretary and her husband that they could help themselves to the Church's bank account. Woody also had a fetish for pre-pubescent males.
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