Dozens of churches in St. Louis have had valuable property stolen from them over the past two months, and the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department is investigating.
Police spokesman Mitch McCoy said Monday that air conditioning units, copper wires, pumps, water meters and other scrap metal items have reportedly been stolen from 30 churches across police Districts 4, 5 and 6 — which includes Downtown, Soulard, Central West End, Fairgrounds and the Greater Ville.
While the trend of scrap metal thefts is not new in St. Louis, McCoy said more houses of worship have fallen victim to these thefts and some have been hit more than once since July 1. He declined to identify specific churches that have reported thefts in order to avoid "revictimizing" them and in an effort to ensure more clergy members feel comfortable coming forward.
"Whatever sick individual is trying to score a buck off our churches, you will be held accountable with the full weight of the criminal justice system, and that is exactly what Chief Tracy will be sharing with our faith-based community this week," McCoy said.
Charges will be based on the circumstance, but could include theft, burglary and trespassing, he added.
He said the impacted properties include both active churches serving their congregations and churches that remain out of service due to the May 2025 tornado. Some of these congregations are suffering hardship from the tornado, and yet they're becoming victims once again, McCoy added.
"What is making it difficult is we can't pinpoint one specific suspect or group of individuals who might be doing this," McCoy said during a press conference at police headquarters on Monday. "It's unclear if it's being done by one or two or three or a group of individuals repeatedly targeting these churches. While the specific pattern has yet to be determined, investigators have learned that thieves are targeting victims at any hour of the day."
Police said another factor that's made it difficult to establish a pattern is that some churches are only operational one or two days of the week, which makes it harder to determine when thieves are targeting churches because reports are delayed.
McCoy said police started meeting with clergy members earlier this summer to discuss the incidents, share proactive safety tips with them and address concerns.
Churches are encouraged to enhance security measures by making sure exterior areas are well lit. Police said doors, gates and other access points should also be secured and security cameras should be positioned to capture activity around buildings and equipment.
Congregations may also consider securing or restricting access to exterior air conditioning units, utility equipment and other items that could be targeted for their scrap value.
Officers have been ordered to respond in person to all crime reports. Police Chief Robert Tracy said federal resources will also help to ensure thorough investigations.
"We know how important these churches are to the neighborhoods they serve," Tracy said in a statement. "Our officers and detectives are paying close attention to this pattern, we are putting additional resources into these areas, and we are asking the community to help us look out for these properties and for one another."
The police department said it is increasing its presence in affected parts of town, including more patrol units and mobile trailer cameras.
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