Baptist congregation vows to pray for thief arrested after stealing $36K in church property
The Kansas City Police Department has returned thousands of dollars in stolen goods to a church that vows to “emerge stronger than ever” from the challenge and pray for the perpetrator of the theft.
The Kansas City Police Department in Kansas City, Kansas, announced in a Facebook post Monday that it had recovered $36,000 in stolen goods from Forest Grove Baptist Church after receiving a tip that the items were located outside a home in the city. The items taken from the church in an Oct. 11 burglary included musical instruments, electronics, maintenance equipment, clothing and health products. The place of worship also suffered $500 in property damage.
“While property crimes don’t often grab headlines, we know that they not only leave victims feeling violated, but they create a real financial hardship on working families, businesses and communities,” the department stated. “Today, thanks to a tip, we located thousands of dollars in property stolen from one of our KCK churches and returned it to their congregation — and man, did that feel great.”
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The law enforcement agency also reported that a person of interest believed to be the perpetrator of the crimes was arrested. A subsequent Facebook post published Thursday identified the person of interest as Kansas City resident Enrique Martinez Vasquez, 22. Martinez Vasquez, who faces felony charges of “burglary, theft and criminal damage to property,” is being detained in the Wyandotte County Jail on $35,000 bond.
The Rev. Desmond Lamb, the pastor of Forest Grove Baptist Church, spoke about the damage sustained by the church in an interview with NBC affiliate KSHB-TV, specifically highlighting the vandalism of his office. Lamb said the door window was broken, and there was “glass everywhere.” He said the facility also suffered a “damaged floor” when “they were dropping stuff and breaking up the floor tile.”
KSHB-TV reported that Lamb’s “iPhone tracked his stolen iPad to a nearby home,” where nearly 60% to 70% of the stolen goods were discovered. While acknowledging that he felt “violated” by the robbery, he asserted that the congregation has “decided to pray for” the suspect.
Lamb took to Facebook on Oct. 11 to inform his congregation that “Forest Grove has been burglarized.” Asking if “anyone can help” and encouraging people to contact him, Lamb lamented, “This is a sad day for our church.”
In a post on the church’s Facebook page last Sunday, Lamb expressed “heartfelt gratitude for the overwhelming support and kindness you have shown during this challenging time.”
He added: “While the loss we experienced was significant, your support was nothing short of inspiring. Your calls, texts, and expressions of love, has reminded us of the strength and unity that exists within our community. It is in moments like these that we truly see the love and compassion that binds us together.”
“Thank you for standing by us, for your prayers, and for your unwavering support,” he continued. “Your actions are helping not only to restore what was lost, but they are also reinforcing our faith in God, one another and in the mission of our church. Together, Forest Grove Baptist Church we will recover, rebuild, and we will emerge stronger than ever.”
After the stolen goods were recovered, Lamb shared the Facebook post from the Kansas City Police Department accompanied by the phrase “Thank you KCKPD.” In the post sharing the statement from the law enforcement agency announcing Martinez’s arrest, Lamb wrote: “To God Be The Glory.”
A Wednesday social media post from Lamb shows that the burglary and the damage that resulted from it is still impacting the day-to-day operations of the church even though the items have been returned. He informed the congregation that there was “No Virtual Bible Study Tonight” because the house of worship was still “putting the pieces back together.”
Ryan Foley is a reporter for The Christian Post. He can be reached at: ryan.foley@christianpost.com
