ST. LOUIS, Mo. (First Alert 4) - Thieves used a rope to rip air conditioning units from a North City church, according to surveillance video. Pastor Cornelius Moore of Fountain Temple Church said the thieves took three AC units at once.

Moore said the church was targeted three months after last year's May 16 tornado.


 I filed a claim because of tornado damage in the church, so I had to file a second claim,  Moore said.  Then, when I filed a second claim, they cancelled my insurance. So, it cost me thousands of dollars. 

Moore said he was left to deal with the cost and replacement of the units. He is now joining other clergy and elected officials calling for change.

 They need to get the people who they sell the air conditioners to. The copper wire, that's what they want,  Moore said.  They need to get them. They need to get everybody involved. 

At a Thursday night meeting at Kennerly Temple, St. Louis Metropolitan police said they believe they have a person of interest in Moore's case. Police laid out a three-part plan focused on prevention, intervention, and enforcement.

 We must make our churches less vulnerable to criminal activity,  said Major Donnell Moore of SLMPD North Patrol.  That means working with church leaders to examine lighting, cameras, doors, windows, gates, rooftop access, and the security of air-conditioned equipment. 

Organizers and community leaders said protecting churches also means protecting the people who depend on them, starting with neighbors looking out for one another.

 From home, we can continue to be what I call  nosey neighbors,' looking out for each other, watching out for each other,  said Committeewoman Yolonda  Yogi  Yancie.

Leaders said they will continue working together on ways to protect the churches.

 They've done enough damage,  Pastor Cornelius Moore said.  And the pastors, the preachers, they've been crying to Heaven. I think Heaven's going to listen to us. And Heaven's going to do something about it. 
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