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Crime

‘Holy Heist’: Man Arrested After Breaking Into CA Church & Allegedly Trying to Steal Two Bibles on Easter Sunday

Apr. 10, 2012 11:12am Billy Hallowell

Man Arrested for Stealing Two Bibles From CA Church on Easter Sunday Churches are known for handing out Bibles and willingly spreading the gospel. On Easter Sunday, though, rather than asking for copies of the book, a man allegedly broke into St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Vallejo, California, and attempted to steal two copies of the Bible following church service. One local news reporter dubbed the incident a “holy heist.”

Kenneth Rhodes, 58, attended morning service. While at least one parishioner claims he was acting a bit strange, he attended the breakfast and service without incident. But it was later that bizarre behavior reportedly turned to damage and theft.

Man Arrested for Stealing Two Bibles From CA Church on Easter Sunday

After church, Rhodes allegedly “tore through” the downstairs doors of the church. Rather than stealing computers, technology — even money — he purportedly took two Bibles from the sanctuary. Police, who were called due to reports of the break-in, apparently caught him as he was walking out of the building.

In an e-mail to The Blaze, Pastor Barbara Foltin of St. Paul’s, who claims that the church regularly hands out Bibles and that leaders would have willingly given the man the books had he asked, confirmed the incident:

A sister congregation, who shares our space, had just finished their worship and locked the doors. A few of them and their pastor were in the parking lot when the man broke the locked doors open. They were concerned that he was going to hurt himself or someone else and continue breaking things. They called the police. The man had gone to our sanctuary, but no further damage was done. He did have 2 bibles in his hands, which were left at the church.

Media accounts corroborate the incident as well.

“Yeah well, I was very surprised,” explained the church’s financial officer Donald Johnson. “I was also surprised because the man who broke into the church attended our Easter morning breakfast. He was acting a little strangely when he was at church.”

Damage to the church’s side door as a result of the incident will likely cost a few hundred dollars.

Below, watch a KMAX-TV report about the alleged crime:

(H/T: CBS Sacramento)

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Comments (45)

Injunator
Posted on April 12, 2012 at 4:32pm
April 1,33 AD the Christ Jesus was crucified; if that man wanted the bibles they should have been given to him . . . or he should have asked ?

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conservativewoman
Posted on April 11, 2012 at 12:55pm
A woman pastor? That is against scripture.

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Tom K
Posted on April 10, 2012 at 4:46pm
At our church, if you need a Bible, we will give you one. Poor guy could have just asked and received.

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jrcess
Posted on April 10, 2012 at 3:10pm
Probably worked for Obama!!

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BarbieLee
Posted on April 10, 2012 at 2:39pm
“Nope, the only Book that means anything is the Book of Revelation”
I have no finesse so please understand the bluntness. Yes the books were edited and changed by those appointed by Constantine. However they are still God’s word and His word is still true. It is called a living bible because the scripture changes as one’s faith grows in God. This becomes clear to those who have practiced or experienced the blessings of God. But this kind does not come out except by prayer and fasting. … That faith is produced and kept vigorous only by much prayer, and by such abstinence from food. Revelations was written by Paul who was a self appointed disciple. We are supposed to take his word of his conversion from Saul into Paul?
When debates get contentious I tell others to ask God. If that makes one uncomfortable then maybe one ought to get to know Yeshua and God. I promise God will answer if one has faith. Don’t talk to God, talk with God.

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- Itsjusttim
  Posted on April 10, 2012 at 3:10pm
  Well now you see you don’t know the scriptures because Jesus changed the name of some of his Apostles. Now Saul he changed his own name, and that means he wasn’t sanctioned by Jesus. Moreover, I don’t drink the bad wine you have to offer because you like the Antichrist.
  
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- WonByOne
  Posted on April 10, 2012 at 3:45pm
  Barbie, Barbie, Barbie! You are in error and you don’t even know it. First of all, the topic of Constantine changing the Scriptures is quite a far stretch. The early church fathers (200 years prior to Constantine) quoted the Scriptures often and I believe there are only 11 verses in the New Testament that were not quoted by them. This leaves the possibility that Constantine had the opportunity to change 11 verses, however, there is no evidence to support that. Second, it’s Revelation (without an “s”) and it was written by the apostle John, not Paul. I’m not really sure why you have something against Paul. He was recognized by the other apostles as being one of them (council of Jerusalem), wrote a large portion of the New Testament, and early church fathers had no problem with Paul and his writings and included them as part of texts to be circulated to churches.
  
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- BarbieLee
  Posted on April 10, 2012 at 6:39pm
  WonByOne, I certainly don’t intend to get in into a theological debate on how and when the bible came together. Nor do I believe John wrote Revelation(s) although it is attributed to him in the KJ version. In my humble opinion it was written by Saul, the wannabe disciple, and to give it weight attributed to John. I have found no data giving John the rights except in the KJ bible and those who wish to quote the same source. http://christeternalchristianchurch.com/learningactivity39.htm
  For 200 years after Christ his followers were raising the dead, healing the sick as they shared God’s Word. Constantine put an end to all that as he ordered all books of Christ destroyed and all followers join his religious organization. http://www.bibleufo.com/anomlostbooks.htm He became the spokesperson for God. The books written in Latin and the church and pope became God’s messenger to the masses. Nice, religion is a cult. God said have faith. Jesus said have faith. Neither one said have religion. Nothing wrong with religion. I love religion. It is a boys club. You want in God’s Club then have faith.
  http://www.gnosis.org/naghamm/nhl_sbj.htm
  
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- Vpirate
  Posted on March 31, 2013 at 8:57pm
  The book of Revelations was written by John…not Paul
  
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Itsjusttim
Posted on April 10, 2012 at 12:42pm
Teabunny,
Is not your spirit over your flesh? It is a portion of your spirit which desires to please the flesh. You say Paul says to “crucify the flesh?” I say: crucify the portion of your spirit that desires to please the flesh. You should be careful of what you are teaching, because you just may be teaching that “One Antichrist.”

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- Teabunny
  Posted on April 10, 2012 at 1:27pm
  Galatians 5:24
  King James Version (KJV)
  24And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
  
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- Teabunny
  Posted on April 10, 2012 at 1:29pm
  so…go nail yourself timmy
  
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- Itsjusttim
  Posted on April 10, 2012 at 2:19pm
  Nope, the only Book that means anything is the Book of Revelation, and the rest has been changed and tampered with, and Paul (I mean Saul) is that one Antichrist. That means you’ve been worshiping the image of the Antichrist yet again, because Satan dredged him up. And by the way, any one can die for Jesus and be nailed to a tree (look in the Philippines they do it every year), but who can live.
  
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- Itsjusttim
  Posted on April 10, 2012 at 2:22pm
  Everything except Revelation has been tampered with in the New Testament, why do you think Revelation was written so cryptic? To prevent them from tampering with it, and then it ended with a dire warning.
  
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- Itsjusttim
  Posted on April 10, 2012 at 2:29pm
  The truth of the matter is is that before hell started giving up the dead oh about a thousand years ago, all you little Satanic demons who are the dead walking have been bringing Saul back to life, and putting more importance on Paul. Haven’t you ever wondered why Paul isn’t mentioned by John in his Gospel? It’s because Saul is that one Antichrist.
  
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- Itsjusttim
  Posted on April 10, 2012 at 2:31pm
  That makes you all Satan’s little buddies. I’d be pretty worried.
  
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- iampraying4u
  Posted on April 11, 2012 at 11:06am
  itsjusttim Take your meds
  
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blackyb
Posted on April 10, 2012 at 12:20pm
No doubt he has some mental problem. They need to give him a Bible and take him back to wherever he came from and let them handle it.

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- Stoic one
  Posted on April 10, 2012 at 12:26pm
  I agree; yhere is much more to this story.
  
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Teabunny
Posted on April 10, 2012 at 12:09pm
To worry about collapse, does not necessarily mean worried for yourself (if you believe in rapture) if your heart is right, you would be worried about those left behind, to the winepress of the saints (those to be martyred for their new found beliefs, post rapture. You have believed because you have seen. Blessed is he who has not seen, yet believes. as Jesus told Thomas) they will face the winepress to prove their faith. The raptured will have withstood persecution and contempt for their faith. the winepress is torture. blood to the depth of a horses bridle.(or bodies stacked that high, to bring it into modern english)

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- searching for the Truth
  Posted on April 10, 2012 at 12:36pm
  Jesus teaches that we should all pray to be found worthy to escape- remember the Word.
  
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- Teabunny
  Posted on April 10, 2012 at 1:22pm
  Always on my mind, on my lips and in my heart (as the Catholics profess by the triple cross before the reading of the gospel!)
  
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dmerwin
Posted on April 10, 2012 at 12:05pm
If someone steals a bible, they really need to read it.

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- txn4justice
  Posted on April 10, 2012 at 12:12pm
  Bibles are easy to come by, Free! Why steal?
  
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MyzPhoenyx
Posted on April 10, 2012 at 12:01pm
I have a Bible that is special to me. I received it as a gift. I’ve always said, that if someone steals my Bible, they need it more than I do.
I think that I would be likely to offer the guy an out in this situation. Work off the damage at the Church, let him keep the Bibles and help him to find the help that he needs. Two Bibles says to me that he was wanting someone else to get one too. I’d try to seek that person out and help them as well.
Just a shade of love, forgiveness, and kindness. You never know what those small acts of compassion and empathy can do for a person, until you see that light shine on their face.

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- 4truth2all
  Posted on April 10, 2012 at 12:31pm
  Exactly what I was thinking … and since I do the work at the church I attend. I believe I would be willing to work with this or anyone who would do such.
  
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Impenitent
Posted on April 10, 2012 at 11:52am
have him volunteer at the library…

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YourVoiceMatters
Posted on April 10, 2012 at 11:47am
My guess is mr Rhodes has a few passengers
that started acting out in church and
possibly mr Rhodes was looking to get what is in the Book
to get free from his inner beasts…
an act of desparation!
He at least went for the Truth…and the deliverance it offers…
Hopefully someone who walks in the fullness of the Gospel will pray for him
to see him walk free of his passengers
for good! There is hope yet me. Rhodes!

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SHASTADIANE1
Posted on April 10, 2012 at 11:33am
He definately has some issues. Make him pay for the damages and seek help for his mental problems.

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Itsjusttim
Posted on April 10, 2012 at 11:24am
Latter Day Saints…Lol…I still get a laugh out of that. Have you been resurrected before? Oh, you don’t know? Then I doubt you are a Saint.

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- Itsjusttim
  Posted on April 10, 2012 at 11:28am
  Because Saints know whether or not they took part in the first resurrection which has already occurred.
  
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- NHwinter
  Posted on April 10, 2012 at 11:41am
  Nasty TTT, (TinyTimTroll).
  
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- Itsjusttim
  Posted on April 10, 2012 at 11:48am
  NHwinter,
  I’m definitely not a troll, but that I just hang around to tell you that if you are extremely worried about civilization collapsing, then you didn’t take part in the first resurrection.
  
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- Teabunny
  Posted on April 10, 2012 at 12:03pm
  To worry about collapse, does not necessarily mean you are worried for yourself! If you believe in rapture, then the winepress, where the last martyrs will be created…you can worry for them…if your heart is right. If you are not focused on your own fate, but on avoiding the suffering of others.
  
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- Teabunny
  Posted on April 10, 2012 at 12:16pm
  oh, and Tim…get a bible. you could stand to die to self a little…you might get a less unilateral view of the world. Not everyone is motivated by self gain. (crucify the flesh as Paul teaches)
  
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- Itsjusttim
  Posted on April 10, 2012 at 12:33pm
  Lol. Yeah, as the ‘Apostle’ Paul teaches huh? You should watch your teachings, you might just be teaching Antichrist.
  
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zippo
Posted on April 10, 2012 at 11:23am
make him pay for the damaged doors, and call it a day.

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- Anonymous T. Irrelevant
  Posted on April 10, 2012 at 11:37am
  Maybe make him work it off at the church. He seemed to have wanted the Bibles for a reason, maybe to learn from them? Work it off and save this guy at the same time.
  
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scuba13
Posted on April 10, 2012 at 11:21am
I thought Encinom was a lot younger than that.

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- Itsjusttim
  Posted on April 10, 2012 at 11:30am
  Hey scuba13, did you take part in the first resurrection? Nevermind, I know the answer to that.
  
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- scuba13
  Posted on April 10, 2012 at 12:56pm
  Tim once again you make no sense, you don’t know the answer to your own stupidity, let alone anything else.
  
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- Baerlin
  Posted on April 10, 2012 at 7:28pm
  I’ve read Tim’s comments and can’t make heads or tails of what he’s trying to say. Why does he even bother to interject in adult conversation? I give bibles away at church to visitors who come in on Sundays mornings and have also carried them in when visiting inmates in the county jail. It’s the one book that everyone will take. What they do with it is up to them
  
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Gonzo
Posted on April 10, 2012 at 11:20am
Let him pay for damages and keep a Bible.

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Anonymous T. Irrelevant
Posted on April 10, 2012 at 11:20am
All he had to do was ask for them and I’m sure they would have given them to him. Must be mentally imbalanced.

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SquidVetOhio
Posted on April 10, 2012 at 11:20am
I would’ve given the guys two bibles and saved him the trouble. Maybe the judge should show some mercy for this guy.

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