Will a man rob God? Some believe that the non-payment of tithes is the equivalent of this but for one man being sought by the police, robbing a church of $20,000 comes in very close.
According to police reports, one month after the death of Fr Reginald Hezekiah, parish priest at the St Charles RC Church, Eastern Main Road, Tunapuna, thieves decided to pounce on the church, robbing it at least twice and making off with $20,000 on the last occasion.
Police said PC Seeteram of the Tunapuna Police Station is investigating the most recent break-in. Police said they have a suspect in mind who is not from the area who they believe is responsible for the last break-in which took place between Friday night and Saturday morning.
In a telephone interview yesterday, Archbishop Joseph Harris said he had not been informed of the latest break-in but was aware that since Hezekiah’s death the church had been broken into at least once. Asked what message he would send to those responsible for the break-ins, Harris laughed, saying the bandits were not listening otherwise they would not be bandits to begin with. “What do you tell the bandits? God will heap hot coals on your head? Why are they bandits to begin with. We have to do something because we are an easy target,” Harris added before hurrying to a meeting.
Hezekiah, 82, who died while on vacation in the US last month, was parish priest for the past 15 years. The break-in was told to the parishioners on Sunday evening during Mass by Fr Clyde Harvey, who has been holding on since Hezekiah’s death. One parishioner told the T&T Guardian the incident had left them disturbed. “This is not the first time this church has had an issue with criminals. Some years ago (December 2009) Fr Hezekiah had to wrest a cutlass from a man who stormed in to demand money. We just hope the situation will be resolved speedily. They robbing God’s house you know,” the parishioner added.