(HUTCHINSON, Kan.)—
It's a place of worship, but Trinity United Methodist Church in Hutchinson is also a repeat victim in a recent crime trend.Someone broke in Saturday night. It's the 4th time this church has had it happen in nine months.
"I luckily didn't have a payment there," said Hutchinson resident Sarah Reazin. "But they broke into the payment box, so I don't know if they knew where it was."
Two blocks away, the Christian Science Church on Main street was also hit the same night.
That was the situation at the grocery store across the street as well.
"The Dillon's store that got hit, you are breaking out their front door which is several hundred dollars and going in for some cigarettes," said Hutchinson Police Detective Jamie Schoenhoff.
Schoenhoff says the new crimes are very similar to a rash of church burglaries in hutchinson a few months ago. Officers arrested four people in those cases
"If any of those people are involved again," Schoenhoff said. "They will get tired of seeing me."
Some churches have added security systems, and taken other precautions to protect the property
"The way the church gets their money is usually through people's love for the church and donations," said Hutchinson resident Katy English. "It's really sad for people to come out and take from that."
Neighbors like English also plan to keep a watchful eye on the area, until the person responsible is caught.
"They just need to stop and we are watching," English said.
The Christian Science Church did not have services on Sunday because of the break-in.
