Maine news, sports, weather | Kennebec Journal, Augusta, Maine

GARDINERThieves break into two churches

BY MEGHAN V. MALLOY Staff Writer

GARDINER -- Police and church officials are scratching their heads over who broke into two city churches and stole food meant for a community event.

The Rev. Jack Fles of Christ Episcopal Church said burglars entered that church late Friday or early Saturday and stole 200 postage stamps, a computer and enough pancake batter to feed 600 people.

The church was to host a pancake-and-egg breakfast Saturday morning to kick off the annual Celebrate Gardiner Festival.

When the cook arrived at the church at 6 a.m. to start flipping flapjacks, he discovered someone had beat him to it.

Parishioners rallied together in enough time to serve breakfast, but Fles called the whole thing "very peculiar."

"When I heard of the break-in, I immediately checked to see if the silver, the wine and such was still there," he said, "and thankfully, it was."

Police told Fles the intruder used a crowbar to jimmy open the door to gain entry.

Across Gardiner Common, St. Joseph's Catholic Church was another target: It, too, showed signs that someone had forced their way in, though police said nothing there was stolen.

St. Joseph's is under the jurisdiction of St. Michael's Parish.

David Alexander, St. Michael's Parish business manager, said it appears nothing was stolen, but a few cabinet doors were broken when the unknown person jimmied them open. A side door where the burglar gained entry also showed signs of being pried open.

Alexander said parish officials "thank God" nothing precious was stolen or damaged, but there was a mess left behind.

"There were a few things broken, like the cabinet doors," Alexander said. "There were some envelopes dumped on the floor, as if someone was going through the cabinets for money, but of course, we would not keep money in the church itself."

The parish hall, located in the church basement, was also rifled through, Alexander said.

Neither church was vandalized, nor was anything of religious or historical significance desecrated or stolen, Gardiner Police Chief James Toman said.

"It does appear the same person is responsible for both break-ins," Toman said.

Fles said the Christ Episcopal congregation is "so very fortunate nothing was vandalized" in the 237-year-old church.

Still, he added, Christ Episcopal Church isn't taking any chances down the road.

"If I could say one thing, we're installing a security system, and I recommend other churches do it, as well," Fles said. "I'm afraid to say this points to the difficulty of our times."

Toman said no one has been charged in connection with the break-ins and the investigation remains open.

Meghan V. Malloy -- 623-3811,

Ext. 431

mmalloy@centralmaine.com