Church charity auction items stolen

JENISON, Mich. (WOOD) - Items collected for a charity auction were stolen after a Jenison church was broken into.

HomeFront Church was robbed between 9:30 p.m. Wednesday and 8:30 a.m. Thursday, according to Lt. Mark Bennett of the Ottawa County Sheriff's Department.

The church was preparing for a large auction on Saturday, the proceeds of which would have gone to a Habitat for Humanity project.

The thief or thieves drove through the grass behind the church and then broke a back window of the church to gain entry, Bennett said. They stole items meant for the auction and other electronics.

Pastor Josh Good said between $800 and $900 in items were taken.

Some of those items had been donated by local businesses.

Good told 24 Hour News 8 that he was disappointed by the break-in and the thieves' "blatant disregard for other people."

Church members spent Thursday cleaning up the mess.

The Ottawa county Sheriff's Department said it is working with police in Caledonia, where there were two similar church break-ins last week. They are investigating the possibility of a connection.

Authorities are also checking local pawn shops and secondhand stores to see if they can track down some of the stolen goods.

Anyone who wants to help can email the church at office@homefrontchurch.org or go to the church's website.

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Lakeshore Habitat for Humanity