Crooks burglarize historic Atlanta church second time in three weeks
Historic church burglarized, ransacked again
Neighbors in the Old Fourth Ward are fed up with crooks breaking into and ransacking a historic church for the second time in less than a month. It happened at the Butler Street Baptist Church on Ralph McGill Boulevard. FOX 5 first reported on the burglary at the same house of worship last month.
ATLANTA - It happened again. Crooks broke in and ransacked the Historic Butler Street Baptist Church on Ralph McGill Boulevard in the Old Fourth Ward.
FOX 5 first reported on a burglary at the same house of worship in November. This past Friday's break-in is the second time criminals hit the 120-year-old church in just three weeks. Members are now scrambling to pull together their resources to better protect their church.
"They ransacked the kitchen, and the office, and the pastor’s office, destroyed the windows on some of our doors and stole two big, expensive speakers," said Yolanda Fitten, a trustee at the church that largely serves seniors on fixed incomes. "And they’re scared."
Fitten remembers when crooks tore into her church home last month, grabbing food and clothes for people in need and stealing Christmas toys that members had been collecting to give out to kids in their community.
Thieves target items for those in need at historic Old Fourth Ward church
Criminals even stole gifts for children in need.
"It’s sad," Fitten said.
She believes the problem is only escalating.
"About nine to 10 times within the year. And it’s growing, increasing, it’s increasing," she said, feeling fed up. "[It’s] very, very frustrating, to the point of tears."
The church has tried bolting boards over the windows and onto the doors. It’s no use. Criminals keep coming back for more.
"We’re not safe anymore," Fitten said. "We’re increasing our alarm system, adding more cameras … the best we can do. We don’t have money readily like that."
Police are investigating the thefts. The church says members are currently pooling together more money to pay for a more robust security system.