BARTLETT, Tenn. — It wasn’t a flood of biblical proportions, but everything in the sanctuary of Bartlett First Assembly had to go after a pipe burst in January.
“We’ve had about $160,000 in damage just from one busted pipe,” Pastor Johnny Byrd said.
The pastor says the fact that the church is now a construction zone likely made it easier for a man to slip in Friday morning and leave with some pricey electronics.
“He just walked in through the door that was left ajar as our cleaning lady was cleaning the sanctuary. He just came in and picked up what he could grab,” the pastor said.
You can see him in the video taking something off of a table.
It’s a tablet used to check in young children on Sunday. “It prints out a tag, so parents can collect them at the end of service,” Pastor Byrd said.
The thief also went into the construction area and stole a nearly $3,000 projector.
“He was fast. Within about five minutes he was gone,” the pastor said.
Pastor Byrd says their doors are open to anyone in need, but, unfortunately this person helped himself to whatever he wanted.
While the church doesn’t want to prosecute, it wanted to make others in the area aware of the crime.
“We forgive, but our goal is to protect the rest of the community here in Bartlett,” the pastor said.
He says another goal is to get back into the sanctuary by Easter Sunday.
“If you don’t have a place to be on Easter, we are going to be right here worshiping the Lord on the day we celebrate his resurrection,” Pastor Byrd said.
If you recognize the person in the video call Bartlett Crime Stoppers at (901)-382-MONY.