Items for underprivileged children stolen from church

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- Police say they will "vigorously" investigate a burglary last week of clothing items meant for underprivileged children from Grace United Methodist Church.

"We will use every asset we have to figure out who the scumbags were that stole from the church," said police chief Danny Whiteley.

According to police reports, church treasurer and member Sharon Gingery on Thursday stopped by the church in the 1000 block of Delano Street to inventory clothing items set to be distributed to underprivileged children going into foster care and other programs.

"They are called Backpacks of Love, and they are for kids going into foster care," Gingery said. "We have lost almost all of our T-shirts, underwear, socks and that kind of stuff."

Upon entering the building, she found two boxes containing items for the children were empty.

"This is breaking my heart," Gingery said. "This is the one thing the church does well; this is our thing. I don't understand why. I really don't know what to say."

After walking around the outside of the building, Gingery noticed a broken window on the north side of the building. Police took several sets of fingerprints from the glass and are turning those over to the crime lab.

Gingery said the church works all year to obtain the clothing, which is distributed through Backpacks of Love and to poverty-stricken nations.

"We do about $5,000 ever year, and it's a very small church; we work on it all year long. We do schools here in Missouri, but we've already turned those in. We do school kits for kids overseas and wherever we are needed most," she said.

Anyone with information about the burglary is asked to contact Poplar Bluff Police Department at (573) 785-5776.

Pertinent address:

1000 block of Delano Street, Poplar Bluff, Mo.