HOWELL, MICH.: Authorities say burglars have broken into more than 40 churches in mostly rural areas of Michigan and Ohio since August.
The Detroit Free Press reports Friday that break-ins have been reported in Michigan’s Lenawee, Monroe, Washtenaw, Hillsdale, Livingston and Genesee counties, as well as Fulton County, Ohio, near the states’ border.
Police believe the burglaries are connected and may have been committed by the same thieves. Churches in Lenawee, Monroe, Washtenaw, Hillsdale, Livingston and Genesee counties, as well as Fulton County, Ohio, near the Michigan border, have been hit.
Most of the churches targeted didn’t have security systems, and thieves got in by prying open windows and doors. They’ve ransacked offices, rifled through drawers and forced open safes. Officials say they’ve gotten away with cash, change or sometimes nothing.