Traveling fake priest reportedly steals $500 after pretending to lose his keys to sneak into Houston church

A man who has reportedly traveled across the United States impersonating a priest stole $500 from a Houston Catholic church and may be responsible for thousands in stolen money.

The man, who goes by "Father Martin," told church officials at the St. Thomas More Catholic Church in Houston that he forgot his keys in a room in the rectory and was allowed in.

The imposter reportedly stole $500 from the wallet of a priest inside the rectory. Police said the fake priest spent about 30 minutes on the property before he left in a vehicle that was parked nearby.

According to KHOU 11, the man has outstanding warrants in California and Pennsylvania, while the New York Times reported that he has been actively stealing in other states as well.

Memos from March and April 2023 from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops reportedly warned of a man posing as a priest in California, Oregon, and more. The memos noted that he was "likely responsible for stealing $1,770 from a parish in Oregon."

Two days before his stop in Houston, the same impersonator allegedly appeared unannounced at six parishes in Dallas in late October 2023. His appearance raised suspicion in local workers due to the man forgoing the typical protocol of priests arriving with a suitability letter from their pastor or bishop to document their identity.

Katy Kiser, communications director for the Catholic Diocese of Dallas, told the New York Times in an email that "'Father Martin' didn’t access any private areas of our parishes except for one area, but all the doors were locked on the second floor, so it was determined he wasn’t able to gain access to money or valuables."

A spokeswoman for the Dallas Police Department reportedly stated that there is no criminal charge in Texas for impersonating a priest, and therefore no investigation has taken place.

"I don't have words for that ... trying to impersonate someone," a parishioner of the Houston church told KHOU 11. "It's sad. You wish that didn't happen."

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