Members say church was burglarized twice in a week

For the second time in a week thieves have broken into a church. Last week, church leaders say musical instruments and equipment were stolen. This week, church leaders say crooks took everything else.

Members of Kingdom City Church in Stone Mountain discovered the break-in when they arrived early Sunday morning. “It’s troubling that this can happen twice,” says Pastor Mona Harper.

Church leaders say thieves broke in through a side door, ransacked the office and children’s area and took off with a couple of speakers and a broken projector.

One week earlier, church leaders say crooks stole 30-thousand dollars worth of equipment. “They took soundboards, a projection screen that they took from the roof, a keyboard was stolen, they stole from the children’s room where there was a 32 inch tv, all the microphones, basically anything of value they took,” says Christopher Isler with the church.

Members say thieves even took a keyboard belonging to the church’s worship leader, Grammy nominated artist Jamie Grace. She is the daughter of Pastors Mona and James Harper.

After the burglary earlier this month, church members boarded up the windows and took the computers out of the church, thinking there wasn’t much left to steal. But church leaders say that wasn’t enough to deter the criminals. “It’s a tragedy that while you’re at rest and at ease thinking you have everything secured that there are people watching your every step and move to make their plan of attack when you’re at your most vulnerable moment,” says Pastor James Harper.

Church leaders say despite the break-ins, they held worship Sunday morning. “We didn’t have any microphones or any music but we prayed and sang together and it was pure,” says Pastor Mona Harper.

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