New church targeted by thieves during Holy Week

During one of the most sacred weeks for two faiths -- Christians, who are preparing for Easter this Sunday, and Jews who will observe the start of Passover on Friday -- burglars struck the building site of a new church in Miramar.

"The irony is that it happened during Holy Week and our neighbor is the police [sub] station," said Mark Rodriguez, executive pastor of Calvary Fellowship.

The 1200-member congregation worships at Everglades High School in the city and had hoped to celebrate services in May in its new church that is rising at 2951 SW 186th Ave., Rodriguez said.

"These people don't care about God and they don't care about the law," Rodriguez said. "That's how bold they are. That's what is scary."

Thieves burglarized a large tool box that was inside the church and held hydraulic and electronic tools. They also stole 14,000 feet of copper wire for an estimated total loss of $5,000, Miramar Police Officer Natasha Richardson said of the break-in that happened Wednesday night or early Thursday morning.

The burglars also tried to move a piece of heavy equipment blocked the entrance to an outdoor storage trailer, but were unsuccessful, she said.

"It would have been a bigger loss if they had been able to get into that trailer," Richardson said.

Also targeted by thieves overnight was a gas station under construction at 16961 Miramar Pkwy. It had about $16,500 in losses after two generators, a compressor, tools and 30-feet of wire were stolen, according to police.

"The two incidents are possibly related because they both happened overnight and are close by," Richardson said. "It could be the same people."

Richardson said crime scene investigators will look for fingerprints or anything the burglars may have dropped as well as footprints or tire tracks, "Any kind of clues that might help solve the case. Sometimes people leave their burglary tools at the location. Some people have actually dropped their driver's licenses. It's surprising."

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New church targeted by thieves during Holy Week