Friday, Dec. 24, 2004

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Churches victimized by theft

By LEE WILLIAMS
lwilliams@TheCitizenNews.com

Parishioners and good Samaritans beware.

A couple of modern-day ‘Grinches’ struck in Peachtree City and could be targeting local churches for Christmas toys.

On Dec. 8, a woman identified by police as Lunetha Nolan, 61, of 600 Carlton Road, Palmetto, and an unidentified man walked into St. Andrew’s in the Pines Episcopal Church in Peachtree City, and asked a church employee for help.

Nolan allegedly told the employee she was caring for her grandchildren and she needed money. The employee went to check with another employee who spoke to Nolan. But this time, Nolan, dressed in a green bandana and tan coat, allegedly gave the second employee a different story.

Nolan told the second employee she was on her way to feed the homeless in Atlanta and she asked for gas money. The second employee declined to help Nolan as the church’s Benevolent Fund was tapped out.

Nolan said OK, but stayed long enough to swipe a heap of presents collected for the Fayette Holiday Helpers toy drive, several gift baskets, a care package for soldiers serving in Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom, and gifts for the Emmanus House.

The second employee made the discovery after walking back downstairs and returning a while later, said Rebekah Ulsaker, who works with the Outreach Ministry for St. Andrew’s. The theft occurred around 10:30 p.m. while many busied themselves with preschoolers, baking and other activities.

“She noticed that all of the presents for the Christmas Angels on the tree that had been dropped off so far were gone,” Ulsaker said. “We had been collecting for an orphanage and they took that box, and we were collecting for the soldiers who are serving in Afghanistan and Iraq.”

Also swiped were several gift baskets worth over $80 apiece. The gift baskets were scheduled to be auctioned off to raise money for the church.

The second employee ran outside to stop the alleged thieves, but it was too late. The couple had already packed their 1986 blue Chevrolet Cavalier Wagon and were driving out of the parking lot.

The church employee who first encountered the couple ran into the parking lot, jotted down the woman’s license plate number and turned the information over to police.

Ulsaker said the incident stunned the parishioners. Nothing like this had ever happened at the church before, she added.

“Anytime this happens to you, you have bad feelings, but the feelings are directed to the people who committed the crime and not the people who the gifts are intended for,” Ulsaker said. “It’s really sad that someone would take advantage of the church’s openheartedness.”

Ulsaker indicated the gifts were earmarked for 25 needy families adopted by the church. But parishioners refused to be outdone by the alleged thieves, who might have struck at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Peachtree City.

A church member at Holy Trinity seemed knowledgeable, but provided no details. It was unclear if a police report had been filed.

“The church members replaced many of the gifts,” Ulsaker said. “The Holiday Helpers re-donated more gifts and the church members pulled together to raise money to buy gifts for the adults.”

Although the incident was tragic, Ulsaker said there is still a silver lining in the cloud.

“It’s a good thing it was early in the Christmas season because all of the donations had not come in yet,” Ulsaker said. “It would have been horrible. It was already horrible, but we would not have been able to replace all of the gifts if it had been closer to Christmas.”

Peachtree City Police Department Maj. Mike Dupree confirmed the Dec. 8 church theft and added a warrant has been issued for Nolan’s arrest.

According to the Georgia Department of Corrections Web site, Nolan, the woman being sought is no stranger to theft accusations. Nolan has 12 aliases and has a criminal past that dates back to January 1991.

Nolan has been convicted of burglary, possession of cocaine and theft by taking in Fayette County; theft by taking in Clayton County; and two counts of theft by taking in Fulton County.

Nolan stands about 5 feet 3 inches tall and weighs 190 pounds. She has brown eyes and brown hair. A photo or composite sketch of the suspect was unavailable at presstime.

Dupree said he did not believe the Dec. 8 incident was linked to any others, but he urged church members to always take special precautions when encountering a person requesting financial help.

“You have some people who pose as indigents but they’re actually there to take advantage of the church and the congregation,” Dupree said. “We encourage them to send them to the police department, so we can do a little investigation on the individual to make sure the situation is what the person is saying it is.”

In his 20 year tenure, Dupree said the department has checked out hundreds of people who requested assistance, and in some cases some police officers have elected to dig into their own pockets to help a family in need. In the past, the officers have purchased groceries or gifts for the families and their children who were in the midst of a financial crisis.

Dupree indicated that it’s troubling, but the reality is some people target churches. The checks and balance system the police department offers is for the community’s protection.

“There are people who prey on churches, and that’s an unfortunate thing because they are basically stealing from needy families and children,” Dupree said. “If you are capable of stealing, you are capable of getting a job and working.”