WATERBURY -- Police are asking for the public's help in identifying a man who they said broke into a church early Sunday morning.
Waterbury police posted surveillance video on their Facebook page Monday of a robbery at the MT. Olive Church located at 82 Pearl Street.
Church leaders told FOX 61 that thousands of dollars worth of equipment was stolen. The burglar also left a note behind that read "Pray 4 me."
“We valued about $4,000 worth of audio and video equipment that we realized was missing,” said Jaclyn Davis who serves as head of the church’s media ministry.
“Realizing that we didn’t have the equipment to do what we needed to do on Sunday is really heartbreaking,” Davis said.
Life-long church member Craig Smith said the theft cripples the church’s ministry efforts.
“We’re upset about the cameras being gone because that’s how we help out the members that are sick or down or can and can’t make it to church,” Smith said.
Church employees believe the thief either entered or exited the doors in the kitchen.
They also know at some point he took some items from the kitchen, including canned goods as well as knives and a meat slicer, which he eventually left in the parking lot.
Before that...
"He left a note on the printer saying 'I’m sorry, forgive me, pray for me brothers',” Davis said.
That’s exactly what members of the church did.
“During Sunday morning service the minister actually prayed for the person,” said Davis.
However, Mount Olive Church may not have been the burglar’s only target.
“They taken a lot of box with window curtains and towels and other stuff,” said Noel Watt who lives right next door to the church.
Watt said he believes the same thief also broke into his home Sunday afternoon.
“They break the window and pry it open and they go inside and they left through the front door,” Watt said.
Despite all of this, church members said they wish no ill will toward the burglar and they just want their equipment back.
“If this person could know that we are not angry. We are kind of sad about what happened but we don’t hate,” Davis said.
Anyone with information about the burglary is asked to contact Waterbury police.