Musical equipment stolen from a church in Whittier, Calif., days before Easter was recovered on Good Friday, and the pastor told a local paper it was the story of “betrayal” and ultimately “redemption.”
The worship band’s equipment at St. Andrew Lutheran Church was stolen days before Easter, according to a report by local ABC7, and many thought it was an inside job. Burglars broke several doors on Wednesday night and stole microphones, guitars and equipment used by the band.
Cash and gift cards were also stolen from the church.
A report late on Good Friday indicated the equipment was recovered and returned to the church on Friday.
Detectives from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Norwalk Station returned several of the guitars to the church at approximately 5 p.m. on Friday, according to the Whittier Daily News. The suspects in the burglary apparently pawned some of the guitars soon after the crime. One guitar, valued at $2,000, was not recovered. Several of the other pieces of equipment also were not recovered.
“There’s a betrayal, there’s redemption and ultimately there’s a rebirth,” St. Andrew’s Pastor Ashley Nicolls told the Whittier Daily News. “We are experiencing Jesus’ resurrection in the love from other congregations who have given their support.”
Nicolls called the crime a “first-world problem.”
The burglars also destroyed two of the church’s doors and heavily damaged others, and damage is estimated at $5,000. The church also is reportedly looking into upgrading its security system which does not include video surveillance.