Police: Waterloo Man Stole Money from Eight Cedar Falls Churches

A Waterloo man was arrested Monday for going to church. Well, going to church and allegedly stealing a lot of money.

arrested James Jack Cowan, 46, of Waterloo, on Monday in connection with a string of local church burglaries.

Police said Cowan broke into eight separate churches over the course of a year and took cash, often while the church was open to the public or during services.

Local churches began reporting the burglaries in February 2011, and police said they continued sporadically until February 2012.

Cowan was charged with 11 counts of third degree burglary, class D felonies, and one count of second degree burglary, a class C felony. 

Cowan was interviewed by Cedar Falls Police investigators, and police said he admitted he had entered each church and used a flat head screwdriver to enter office areas where cash was stored. In each instance, police said doors or locked cabinets were reportedly pried open and cash was taken.

The total amount of money Cowan is accused of stealing was not included in police reports. In one instance, police said he took $20; in another the amount was over $1,000. Once, police said he also took a bike from a church basement.

As of this morning, Cowan remained in jail, and he did not have a listed telephone number.

The churches police say Cowan broke into are , 705 Main St., , 723 Washington St., First Baptist Church, 123 W. Seventh St., St. Stephen’s Church, 1019 W. 23rd St., , 2616 College St., , 2322 Olive St., , 902 Main St., and , 3900 Orchard Hill Drive.