CLEVELAND — The Pearl Road United Methodist Church has been part of the fabric of Old Brooklyn, church leaders said, for more than 200 years.
The church hosts a farmer’s market, has a blessings box outside, and allows the community to use its space to host meetings.
“We try to do everything for the community. We have a trailer that we put out that goes down Pearl Road to the developments, taking food. They go under the bridges taking food to people, blankets,” said Tom Hites, chairman of the trustees for Pearl Road United Methodist Church.
Yet, someone took what didn’t belong to them—a burglar busted through the front door window. Once inside, the thief wasn’t deterred by deadbolts on interior doors that were put up to bolster security after a previous break-in.
According to Hites, the church crooks got into an office and stole about $35 from an envelope, a few gift cards, a couple of dollars from a desk and a candy bar.
Fred Hodges has called Old Brooklyn home twice. Once as a child, now as an adult. He’s involved in trying to keep the community safe. He’s disturbed by the latest burglary at the church.
“To break into a church is so brazen and desperate to do things like that. It’s just terrible. These people have no soul,” said Hodges.
The church is tightening up security again. It has already added lights and locks and is now looking at cameras and security systems. Hites said all the thief needed to do was ask for help.
“That’s what people do; they come in, and they ask, and we take care of them. They don’t need to break in,” explained Hites.
Last year, two historic lights from outside the church were stolen; those lights have never been found.
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