Daniel Prince
Fosters Chapel UMC, Mt. Lebanon Baptist report thefts of vehicle parts
The Union County Sheriff’s Office responded to two churches this week regarding thefts of vehicle parts. On Sunday, Deputy Matt Caldwell responded to Fosters Chapel United Methodist Church at 392 Pea Ridge Highway in Jonesville for the theft of car parts off the church van. Caldwell spoke to someone who showed him video from the cemetery camera. The video showed a SUV turn into the church parking lot around 6:30 that morning and pull up to the church van. Three people got out and went over to the van for a few minutes. The SUV pulled off and then backed up close to the van. The three then got into the vehicle and drove off. The complainant stated the catalytic converter had been previously stolen from the van, so the subjects took other metal parts off the bottom of the van. Damage was estimated at around $1500. The case has been forwarded to investigations.
On Monday, deputies spoke with someone from Mt. Lebanon Baptist Church on Mt. Lebanon Road. The man stated he noticed one of the church vans was missing a catalytic converter when he started up the van that day and heard a loud noise. He said when looking under the van, he could see the catalytic converter had been cut off. The converter had been on the van the last time it was started, which was three weeks prior. He valued the missing converter at $1000. That case has been sent to investigations, as well.