NJ Church Sees Major Damage, Stolen Food After Burglary
NEWARK, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- Police are searching for suspects after a burglary at a New Jersey church left the congregation with thousands of dollars in damages.
Damage to the Greater Mount Moriah Baptist Church in Newark includes shattered glass from a broken window, and a giant hole in the ceiling, which Deacon Ford Perine believes was created by someone sawing through the roof.
"They were determined to get in, they were desperate to get in," Perine told CBS2's Ilana Gold.
The suspects ransacked the preacher's office, then went through the food pantry in the basement, taking meat from the freezer along with crates of canned goods.
"They were looking to take anything that they could use," Perine said.
The food for the pantry is donated by a local food bank and the church hands it out to those in need on the third Saturday of every month.
Newark police spent hours investigating the scene, causing some alarm for parishioners traveling to the church for Sunday service.
"It makes me feel sick on Sunday, I had to come out here to see this it's bad if someone will break in a church what else will they do," parishioner Lola Ware said.
Perine said now the focus is moving forward.
"We use this as a stepping stone not as a stumbling block we have to step over this and keep going," Perine said.