Police investigate theft at United Methodist church
By Bill Lawson \ Staff Writer \ blawson@maumellemonitor.com
Thursday, January 8, 2009 2:06 PM CST
First Church United Methodist in Maumelle at 1201 Edgewood Drive reported on Dec. 29 that someone had broken into the church safe and stolen money from the previous day’s offering.
Beth McElroy, church administrative assistant, told police that $757 in cash and $35 in checks was missing from the safe. She said ushers had placed the offering inside the safe through a slot at the top after they collected it the day before.
Police said the safe was damaged but unopened. They said someone had apparently used a device to pull bills and checks out through the slot. They said they found crinkled bills and checks inside the safe when it was opened.
Police said the church staff reported the door to the safe room was found unlocked.
The church provided police a copy of the alarm security code indicating that the cleaning company had accessed the building on Sunday although church officials said the church is not cleaned on Sunday.
Police Chief Sam Williams said detectives are investigating the theft and so far there’s no evidence that anyone broke into the church.
