3 Columbus area churches burglarized

Three churches in rural Bartholomew County were burglarized late Sunday evening.  Investigators said the break-ins have been part of an overall increase in burglaries in the area.

So far police don't have any suspects, but detectives were able to collect DNA and fingerprints from two of the crime scenes.

Dove Ministries Baptist Church Pastor Mike Newlin teaches his congregation that everything is beautiful, but something very ugly happened there Sunday night.

"They broke into my office and took my computer," Pastor Newlin said.  The outside door shows signs of a forced entry. Along with a computer, the thieves stole four guitars, a mixing board and a new DVD projector; items worth more than $4,000.

Malachi Parks, 6, wants his guitar back.

"Somebody stole it. Now I can't play it. Now I can't have a guitar anymore to play," he said.

"Shows me what the world is coming to. People are losing their jobs. When they run out of money, what are they going to do," Pastor Newlin said.

Newlin's church wasn't the only one hit Sunday night. Columbus Police said someone broke into Mount Pleasant Christian Union and Mount Carmel Church of God.

"Timing and geography suggest they are connected," Bartholomew County Sheriff's Captain Greg Duke said. "Two of them are on the west side of Columbus. The other is on the southeast side of town."   While police investigate, Newlin plans to keep preaching, and praying. Not just for his congregation but for whoever broke into his church.

"Keep preaching the word, keep preaching the word. God will take care of it...God will take care of it. They will get theirs in the end," Newlin said.

Columbus Police are also investigating a burglary at a fourth church. This one happened two weeks ago at the Shiloh Baptist Church on State Road 46.

Anyone with information on the break-ins should call the Bartholomew County Sheriff's department at 812-379-1650.