Fenton Man Confesses to St. John Church Break-in

Police arrested a man Thursday they believe is responsible for several break-ins in the area, including a theft from .

Chief Rick Aro said police identified and located a suspect after collecting evidence from a break-in at on Nov. 17 and arrested a 19-year-old Fenton resident later that night.

Aro said the man gave police a full confession of break-ins at St. John and Gerych’s.

On Nov. 15 police investigated a complaint that someone had entered into St. John, ransacked the church, and had taken money from collection boxes. There were no signs of forced entry, Aro said, but police also found the suspect had attempted to break-into the as well as the door pins had been removed. No items were reported missing or damaged from the Activity Center, however, but officer were able to collect fingerprints from the door.

On Nov. 17, policed received a complaint from Gerych’s about a break-in, the third time in a month, that someone gained entry through an east-side door and spent a lot of time in the building ransacking, breaking into vending machines, cabinets and desks, Aro said. An unknown amount of change was reported stolen.

“It appeared that is was possibly the same suspect because of the method of operation,” Aro said.

He added that officers spent a lot of time collecting evidence and then were able to identify and locate the 19-year-old Fenton resident.

Aro said police believe the man might also be responsible for breaking into a shed on the 100 block of Laurel Leah that occurred on Nov. 16. A resident reported tools missing and police are investigated the incident.  

Police do not believe the thefts are related to the theft of the St. John Statue. The six-foot statue was reported missing on Nov. 8 and then later found in a wooded area near on Nov. 9.