Repentant Thieves Return Items to Church

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (AP) - Burglars have struck twice at the Guyandotte United Methodist Church but the second time they may have remembered that commandment, the one that goes, "Thou shalt not steal."

Thieves first jimmied the church's door locks Monday night and stole about $5,000 worth of sound and office equipment, church treasurer Rocky Frazier said. Then, they broke back the next night and returned everything. "They taketh and the Lord giveth back," Frazier said Friday. "It's like there's a higher power at work."

Whatever the reason, they had a change of heart, said the Rev. Julia Bolling.

"It was either that, or our prayer for grace for them," she said.

The sound system, keyboard, computer - "It's all back," she said.

The only thing the thieves didn't return was about $22 in change, Frazier said.

Even though the equipment was returned and no real damage was done, Huntington Police Lt. Rocky Johnson said the investigation remains open.

"It's odd that they brought it back," said Johnson, noting that he's never seen anything like this. "I'm glad they did."

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Information from: The Herald-Dispatch, http://www.herald-dispatch.com

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