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Independence, MO —
Pastor Scott Patschke has no idea what’s going on.
Within a week and a half in April, his church, Messiah Lutheran Church in Independence, 613 Main St., has been burglarized, vandalized and several items have been stolen.
“I haven’t heard of any rash of burglaries in this area,” he said Monday morning. “I really don’t know what’s going on.”
Independence police said cleaning staff came into the church on Sunday morning and found three broken windows (one of which showed traces of blood), and several rooms in the church school had been ransacked.
Police said little else except that they’re investigating.
Patschke said on this occasion, they stole a television off the wall ,took computers and entered several file cabinets.
“They broke into a lot of the cabinets, made a mess of everything,” he said.
On April 20, church staff arrived in the morning to find a similar scenario: a stolen projector, a computer and speakers, as well ransacked rooms.
“They also got into the church and stole the microphones,” he said.
Patschke said church officials decided to give students the day off on Monday so they could restore some order. By 11 a.m., many of the windows had been replaced and classrooms put in order.
To make matters worse, a master key was stolen.
“We have to replace all the locks in the building,” he said, adding that he anticipates the church will soon purchase a larger security package.
Anyone with information should call police at 474-TIPS.
Pastor Scott Patschke has no idea what’s going on.
Within a week and a half in April, his church, Messiah Lutheran Church in Independence, 613 Main St., has been burglarized, vandalized and several items have been stolen.
“I haven’t heard of any rash of burglaries in this area,” he said Monday morning. “I really don’t know what’s going on.”
Independence police said cleaning staff came into the church on Sunday morning and found three broken windows (one of which showed traces of blood), and several rooms in the church school had been ransacked.
Police said little else except that they’re investigating.
Patschke said on this occasion, they stole a television off the wall ,took computers and entered several file cabinets.
“They broke into a lot of the cabinets, made a mess of everything,” he said.
On April 20, church staff arrived in the morning to find a similar scenario: a stolen projector, a computer and speakers, as well ransacked rooms.
“They also got into the church and stole the microphones,” he said.
Patschke said church officials decided to give students the day off on Monday so they could restore some order. By 11 a.m., many of the windows had been replaced and classrooms put in order.
To make matters worse, a master key was stolen.
“We have to replace all the locks in the building,” he said, adding that he anticipates the church will soon purchase a larger security package.
Anyone with information should call police at 474-TIPS.
