Published: October 02, 2009 07:06 pm      

ISP warns of thefts from churches

Kentuckiana Crime Stoppers offering $1,000 reward

The Indiana State Police is asking local church leaders to spread the word at Sunday services about a recent string of outdoor central air units being stolen from area churches.

Kentuckiana Crime Stoppers is now offering a $1,000 reward for tips leading to the arrest of those responsible for the thefts.

The Evening News and The Tribune reported this week that five air conditioning units were stolen from Calvary Road Baptist Church in New Albany on Sept. 26.

The ISP Post at Sellersburg was contacted Sunday morning by church members of the New Harmony Baptist Church at Harrod Road and Jack Morgan Road near Austin, according to a press release from ISP Sgt. Jerry Goodin. As church members arrived for their worship service Sunday, they noticed three new air conditioner units had been stolen.

That came only five days after they installed those three units to replace ones that had been stolen a few weeks earlier. An ISP press release states that, in both theft cases, the thieves took the whole units and cut electric lines and other lines used for hook-up.

ISP reports that 18 central air units have been reported stolen or damaged from seven churches in Floyd, Washington and Scott counties in the last several weeks.

Police believe the thieves are targeting isolated rural churches on weekends. State police officers say the units can be sold as an entire unit or as taken apart and sold as scrap metals.

Troopers at the Sellersburg post are now asking for church parishioners and home owners to be on the lookout for suspicious people seen in neighborhoods or at isolated churches. They say a prayer to help catch the thieves would also be appreciated.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Kentuckiana Crime Stoppers at 502-582-CLUE. Callers can remain anonymous. Callers may also call the Indiana State Police Post at Sellersburg at 1-800-872-6743 or outside of Indiana at 812-246-2509.