A Newark NJ church was burglarized 8 times in the span of just one month.
According to authorities, a burglar recently struck the Congregation Baptist Church on Bergen Street in Newark, New Jersey. This is reportedly the eighth time the church has been burglarized since the week before Thanksgiving.
After several break-ins, the church authorized the installation of surveillance cameras. The cameras had already been installed and were rolling when the most recent burglary occurred.
As a result of the newly installed cameras, authorities have surveillance video footage of the suspect climbing down from the roof of the church. He dangles on the side of the roof for a moment before lowering himself into an office inside the church. The footage also reportedly shows the suspect looking around the office.
Church officials believe that the same man has committed all of the burglaries. Apparently, his modus operandi is to break-in via the roof; he then quickly flees the premises as soon as the alarm is activated.
The video footage of the most recent burglary attempt suggests that the burglar panics at the sound of the alarm. When the alarm goes off, the burglar exits the church by breaking the door with a screwdriver and then kicking the door open
Newark NJ police are actively investigating the series of burglaries.
If the suspect is eventually identified, he could be charged with third degree burglary and face a punishment of 3–5 years in New Jersey State Prison.
For more information, access the NJ.com article entitled “Who Keeps Burglarizing a Baptist Church? Newark Congregation Hit 8 Times in Past Month.”