“A church, boy? I mean, I could understand if it was a bar or something, but a church?” Naresh Samaroo asked incredulously as he learnt that the Effectual Doors International Church, located mere metres from his business place, was burglarised early Monday morning.
“From bad to worse,” a customer chimed in, “That is how this place getting.”
The Full Gospel church, located along the Couva Main Road, became the latest place of worship to suffer at the hands of criminals when two men broke into the premises and stole “an undisclosed sum of money.”
Initial reports indicated the sum to be around $30,000, but Pastor Anthony Moses yesterday told Guardian Media that was not true.
“They said the thieves made off with the entire safe as well, that is also not true,” Pastor Moses said.
Pastor Moses did not give the exact amount stolen but did say the money is used for everyday expenses such as paying bills.
Guardian Media acquired footage from the security cameras on the premises, which showed two men using a metal bin situated at the side of the building along John Baptiste Road to hoist themselves over the wall.
They then made their way up a staircase which led to the back door of the church, which is on the second floor of the building. Near the door is a security camera, which one of the suspects disabled by applying black spray paint to the lens. They then forced entry by breaking the lock on the back door.
Yesterday, when Guardian Media was at the premises, the locks were already replaced and the cameras cleaned.
Pastor Moses said apart from the money being stolen and a few papers thrown about, nothing was damaged or defaced.
“We really didn’t want to make a big deal out of this. Our congregation is strong and resilient.”
One member of the church, who asked not to be identified, told Guardian Media, “That is just material thing.”
But at a nearby bar, one patron said the robbery did not sit right with him.
“I scared, no really, I scared, look I nearly get rob in Chase Village a couple months ago, broad daylight, so I know the feeling but to rob a religious place?”
Last month, thieves stole the iconic church bell from the St John’s Anglican Church in Petit Bourg, while the Carapo Shiv Mandir in Arima was broken into and vandalised twice between the months of May and June.
The Effectual Doors International Church will now, in tandem with its landlord, look at strengthening its security systems.
When Guardian Media asked Pastor Moses if he remembered a time when people’s morals were enough to keep a place of religion sacred, he calmly said, “You cannot expect morality from immoral people.”
