Last Friday, Bill Becker, a minister at the New Antioch Church on County Road 217, discovered chaos inside the church.
Becker wasn't expecting to walk into a crime scene when he arrived at the church on Friday afternoon. In the aftermath of terrible destruction, the pastor of the Alabama church gave a strong and consoling reminder to his congregation and community.
"The church building received some damage, but our spirit was saved; the building was harmed, but not the church," the minister explained.
Two juvenile males broke into the Alabama church in the early morning hours of Jan. 21, 2022. The two boys, aged 13 and 15-year-old respectively, broke into the church and caused thousands of dollars in damage, as per Faithwire.
Lawrence County Sheriff Max Sanders said juveniles broke windows, televisions, copy machines, audio/video equipment, overturned bookshelves, and damaged furniture, among other things.
The juveniles also stole a wheelchair from the church, according to their allegations. They were charged with burglary and criminal mischief, according to reports.
WAAY-TV reports that church member Kyle Pankey feels the incident would strengthen the church. "Buildings can be repaired, cars can be replaced, but no one was hurt. I think it'll make us all stronger," Pankey said.
The only items stolen were candies, which are supposed to be donated to soldiers serving overseas, according to Pankey.
Members of the congregation worked together last weekend to clean the pews so that Sunday services could be held. The majority of the damage was cleaned up, but there is still residue on the tables and chairs from vandals spraying fire extinguishers around the building.
The pastor and the community are setting a great example of how to deal with adversity in a positive way. One anonymous church member even extended mercy to the suspected vandals, expressing sadness for the hardships their family are currently facing.
Sheriff Sanders said, "Generally, if you get a break-in like this, they take something and try to sell it, but as far as we know, nothing was taken."
He claims that public tips played a significant role in apprehending the perpetrators of this incident. The Sheriff's Office and the New Antioch Church both received tips.
Investigators working with Lawrence County School Resource Officers were able to identify the minors using video evidence gathered from the church and a list of names provided by the tips.
One juvenile was handed over to the Juvenile Probation Office (JPO) on January 24, and the other was handed over on January 25.
For stealing a wheelchair, both juveniles who were turned over to the Juvenile Probation Office face charges of Burglary 3rd degree, Criminal Mischief 1st degree, and Theft of Property. Until proven guilty in a court of law, all individuals are deemed innocent.
The perpetrators will be charged with burglary and criminal mischief, according to the Lawrence County Sheriff's Office. Those who have any information about this case are urged to contact the sheriff's office at 256-974-9291.
