Brazen Woman Bandit Believed To Have Hit Ten Churches During Services

From Maryland- (Video)

9News Now has learned as many as ten area churches from Leesburg to Bethesda may have been hit by the same woman bandit who brazenly steals purses and wallets during Sunday services. She often walks right into the church office first stealing keys from desks, and then lets herself in to other locked rooms where valuables would be.

According to area church leaders, the ten churches hit by the same woman bandit are Ashburn Presbyterian and Sterling Leesburg Presbyterian (December 11, 2011), Fairfax UMC and Centreville UMC (November and December, 2011), Leesburg UMC and Leesburg Presbyterian (October, 2011), St. Luke's Episcopal Church and North Bethesda United Methodist Church (both September, 2011), Herndon UMC and Floris UMC ( December 2010).

Leaders at Floris say they had good surveillance video of the woman and gave it to Fairfax County Police a year ago. They believe the same woman has continued to victimize other churches eluding police by moving to other counties and cities.

"You feel vulnerable, and you feel violated that somebody is preying on folks when they come during the holiest time of the week," said Rev. Debbie Scott of North Bethesda United Methodist, which was hit on September 11th. The heist happened just after the same thief apparently hit the church across the street on Old Georgetown Road.

At St. Luke's Episcopal Church, the thief took Reverend Dr. Stephanie Nagley's purse from the sacristy room while the minister sat on the other side of the wall leading the 8:00 am service. Rev. Nagley says she heard the door open to room behind her, and regrets not going to check. When she went to get her purse, she got that 'sinking feeling' and soon realized it had been swiped.

More here-

http://wusa9.com/news/article/179745/373/Brazen-Woman-Bandit-Believed-To-Have-Hit-Ten-Churches-During-Services