A Vicksburg man accused of stealing musical equipment valued at more than $12,000 from two churches on Grove Street was held without bail this morning, and some of the missing property was handed over
Stanley Ross Jr., 22, 150 Union Ave., was arrested Tuesday and charged with burglary of a church and receiving stolen property, Vicksburg police Capt. Sandra Williams said.
Additional arrests are expected.
Ross is accused of stealing musical instruments and sound equipment on Fathers’ Day weekend from Church of Christ Holiness (USA), 1720 Grove St., and Jubilee Revival Center, 1201 Grove St., she said.
The combined value of the equipment stolen is $12,010, according to police records.
On Wednesday, Church of Christ Holiness (USA) associate pastor Howard Batchelor could hardly believe his eyes when he came to the Vicksburg police department to pick up a drum set, keyboard and speakers that had been missing from his church for almost a month.
“They wiped it out,” Batchelor said, adding that the burglar left only one microphone in the church. “It’s been all A capella and clapping.”
A single microphone was all that was left at Jubilee Revival Center too after being hit by a burglar the same weekend. Fewer of the items from Jubilee had been recovered when pastor Robert Sanders came to identify them Wednesday afternoon.
“That’s alright. Our prayer requests have been answered. We’re happy about what we’ve got,” Sanders said.
Vicksburg police investigator Kyle Christian was searching the online database at www.leadsonline.com when he discovered the stolen instruments and sound equipment were at Capitol Pawn in Jackson, Williams said.
Christian and investigator John Nguyen recovered the property Tuesday from the shop, Williams said.
Four wireless microphones and other items are still missing, Nguyen said.
Anyone with information about the burglaries is encouraged to call Vicksburg police at 601-636-2511 or Central Mississippi Crime Stoppers at 601-355-8477. Callers to Crime Stoppers remain anonymous and do not have to testify in court. Crime Stoppers will pay a cash reward of up to $2,500 for information leading to the arrest of a felony suspect.