Crime happens.
Even at the local church level.
On a recent Sunday morning while Toney Parsons was preaching
to his congregation at Gold Hill First Baptist Church, a man began taking
things from cars in the parking lot.
“It’s been a constant battle,” Parsons said.
When the 140-year-old church was building a new building
four years ago someone came and stripped all the wiring.
Afterwards, copper was stolen along with two catalytic
converters from a church van and a member’s van. Three air conditioning/heating
units have also been taken. Someone has even written “666” on church doors.
About three months ago, Parsons said the church installed
video cameras near the rear of the church. And three more cameras are being
added at the front after this latest incident.
“We had put them in back and are in the process of
installing them in front,” Parsons said.
The cameras pick up movement and begin recording. Parsons
said the only way they knew to check the video Jan. 9 was because several people
reported things missing — cell phones, GPS devices, money, tools, rifles, etc.
The video showed a sport utility vehicle entering the
parking lot and the suspect wearing a dark-colored toboggan, dark jacket and a
pair of tan or khaki pants, according to a Salisbury Post article.
Parsons and the Gold Hill congregation have taken necessary
precautions, said Detective Carl Dangerfield, with the Rowan County Sheriff’s
Office.
The church has added a fence and new lighting as well as the
video cameras.
“You could land a plane there with as many lights as we have
now,” Parsons said.
With the increased security measures comes increased cost,
but Parsons said it is for the safety of the congregation members. The church
has added a security team that routinely patrols the lot but the robber came
between patrols.
Parsons said he “never would have thought in a million years
that something like this would happen” at church.
“There’s not that many trees for people to hide in,” he
said. “They’ll come in and strike and they’re gone.”
Suspect Kayce Wayne Adams, 31, was arrested Jan. 14 and is
being held in Rowan County Detention Center under $178,000 secured bond. The
married father of four was under surveillance by Stanly County authorities and
was arrested during a traffic stop set up by Rowan County authorities who had
warrants for his arrest. A Salisbury Post article said Adams was an admitted
drug user.
Of the 29 charges, six were generated in Rowan County. The majority
came from Kannapolis, Concord and Cabarrus counties, Dangerfield said. Stanly
and Davidson counties are also continuing their investigations against Adams.
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