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Sheriff's Office investigating church burglaries in Bergen

By Howard B. Owens

The Sheriff's Office is investigating two church burglaries in Bergen in which nothing was apparently stolen, but a good deal of damage was done to each building.

The burglaries may be tied to similar break-ins in Monroe County, according to Chief Deputy Jerome Brewster, and investigators will be meeting with Monroe County officials to discuss the cases.

The churches broken into were the First Presbyterian Church of Bergen, 35 S. Lake Road, and the Bergen United Methodist Church, 27 Lake Ave.

At the first address, one or more people forced open a rear basement window to gain entry to the church. Once inside, the suspect(s) went through several rooms and offices.  In some cases, forced entry was used to get access to rooms and desks. It does not appear anything was taken.

At the second address, forced entry was made through the church's back doors, with more force being used to get into other offices and the pastor's office.

The redacted police report does not list what may have been stolen at the Methodist church, but since the suspect(s) face a possible petit larceny charge, something must have been taken.

The reports list $800 in property losses at the Presbyterian church and $500 at the Methodist church.

The suspect(s), if caught, face two counts of burglary, 3rd, criminal mischief, 4th, along with one count of petit larceny.

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