Mount Horeb Baptist Church is holding services at another church after thieves stole four 5-ton air conditioning units.
With more 100-degree days in the forecast, now is not the time to be without air conditioning in North Texas.
The sanctuary temperature at noon inside the Mount Horeb Baptist Church sanctuary was 87-degrees Wednesday. That's because thieves stole four 5-ton air conditioning units from the South Dallas church.
"I'm just heartbroken over it," said Deacon John Moore. "Thou shall not steal. We know that one."
The congregation celebrated its 103rd anniversary in July. The church has been a cornerstone in the South Dallas Community.
The thieves cut the power and the trip wires that would have sent notice that a theft was in progress. "That's a professional job," Moore said.
Moore opened the steel cage where the air condition units were kept under lock and key. "We had four units in here," Moore said, shaking his head. "It took two men to pick this up and load it on the truck. We could see 'em doing it!"
That's because the suspects were captured on surveillance camera. They pulled up in a two-tone pickup at 10:09 p.m. on Wednesday, August 28. They seemed aware of the security camera as they put covers over their heads to shield their faces from view.
"You see he's putting the blanket on," Kenneth Harris, who runs the church's security, said. "You should have more conscience than to break into a church."
It wasn't the first air conditioning theft at a South Dallas church. At the beginning of August, thieves stole the AC units from True Light Missionary Baptist Church.
Local
The latest news from around North Texas.
"You can't steal from the Lord and get away with it," Moore said.
Until the weather cools or the church gets new air conditioning units, services are being held at Cathedral of Faith Baptist Church in Pleasant Grove.
