Two Chilton Association churches burglarized

Two men attended church in Chilton County late one night and came back early in the morning a few days later, but not because of devotion to God, according to Chilton County Sheriff Billy W. Fulmer.

Sheriff Department Investigator Lt. Shane Fulmer said a restaurant and eight churches in Chilton County, including two in Chilton Association, were robbed and some almost set on fire- three on the night of July 1 and five in the predawn hours of July 6. The Cow Pasture Restaurant was robbed July 6 as well.

O’Neal Cleckler, pastor of Mt. Bethel Baptist Church, Clanton, said three doors were broken down when burglars took the computer hard drive from his office at the church. They attempted to take the sound equipment as well, he said but only disconnected some wires before apparently being scared away by the barking of a neighbor’s dog.

“They messed up more than they got,” Cleckler said. “We’re really fortunate, because our church is old, with some of the original timbers still in it, and we’d have probably lost our church if they had tried to set fire to it.”

Larry Felkins, director of missions for Chilton, said he spoke with Tom Hilyer, pastor of Collins Chapel, Jemison, after it was robbed July 6. Hilyer said a fire had been started in addition to the burglary, but it appeared the burglars changed their minds and put it out. Felkins said the damage was minor, adding that the incident “wasn’t severe, but just enough to be aggravating.”

Fulmer said two Clanton men were arrested July 6 after a three hour foot chase in connection with the burglaries. He said Matthew Allen Mims and Kenneth Cory Presley, both 18, have been charged with 10 counts of burglary, seven counts of theft of property, three counts of arson and seven counts of criminal mischief for the burglaries and arson.

Fulmer added that besides the hard drive from Mount Bethel, the items stolen from the churches included sound and music equipment, as well as some property from the restaurant. He said all items except a guitar tuner had been recovered.

(TAB)