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Possible Church Burglary Ring Busted

Several Southeast Davidson Co. Churches Targeted

POSTED: 2:45 pm CDT June 22, 2009
UPDATED: 7:02 pm CDT June 22, 2009

Police may have busted a church burglary ring in Nashville. Several churches in southeast Davidson County have been the target of thieves.

Sunday night, Lighthouse Baptist Church was hit yet again. Police said they believe two teenagers have confessed to the crime. One of the teens pleaded guilty last week to breaking into a church.

The athletic office's window at Lighthouse Baptist Church and Christian School has a gaping hole where, police said, the teenagers threw in a rock and ransacked two offices, looking for anything of value.

The security alarm sounded, but police said 18-year-old Tevin Taylor and Akoon Tong were in and out in record time.

It didn't take police long to arrest the teenagers: They were found hanging out next door at an apartment complex. One of the teenagers had a Lighthouse jersey draped across his shoulder, police said.

Police said they also found a mask and a backpack containing items from Lighthouse.

Last week, Taylor pleaded guilty to breaking into Lighthouse Baptist in April and stealing more than $1,200.

"Obviously, this young man, if he is guilty of the previous break-in, didn't learn his lesson the last time," said Lighthouse Pastor Kevin Thomas. "Hopefully, a lesson will be learned this time."

Police believe the two broke into a Baptist church in April as well and, just last week, spent four days breaking into five other churches. They took everything from money to computers, police said.

"It left a lot of uncertainty in our church. In fact, we formed a security committee as a result of it," said Pastor Barry Ellis of Haywood Hills Baptist Church.

Religious leaders said it may just be sign of the times: More and more people, they said, are disrespecting the church.

"Obviously, they don't have a conscious for what God is doing here and in the other churches. I mean, these churches are here to help this community," said Ellis.

Taylor received a two-year probated sentence for the April 24 Lighthouse Baptist burglary.

Bond for Taylor and Tong was set at $10,000 each for Sunday night's burglary. They could face additional burglary charges for the other church break-ins.


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