Man turns himself in at holy crime scene
A Saxonburg man turned himself in Wednesday at the church that he allegedly burglarized and stole items from.
State police arrested and charged John M. Sines, 38, with felony counts of burglary and criminal trespass. He also was charged with misdemeanors, including three counts of theft and three counts of criminal mischief.
Sines' arrest Wednesday was linked to a public request by the state police for information about a theft from the New Life Christian Ministries Church in Clinton Township.
Police said while inside, Sines stole three Microsoft Surface Pro Tablets, valued more than $1,000 each.
Police said Sines decided to turn himself in after his roommate showed him a photograph that was posted by news media outlets.
Police at the time had a clear photograph of a man walking around the church with a crowbar in one hand and a screwdriver in the other.
Police shared the information and photograph with news outlets on Sept. 14.
Following his arraignment by District Judge Sue Haggerty, he was placed in Butler County Prison in lieu of $50,000 bond.
According to charging documents, police initially were called to the church around 10:45 a.m. Sept. 13, after someone reported an overnight burglary.
Police said multiple security cameras recorded Sines' activities, which began around 1:45 a.m. with Sines breaking through a metal door in the basement.
Police said as he entered, he tore one security camera from the ceiling just inside the building, and he continued to break into at least one other locked room.
“I canvassed the area of the scene and observed damage to the basement door and office door, which contained several pry marks,” the investigating officer said in a report. “I also observed the surveillance camera lying broken on the basement floor.”
Police said the following day, they received a call from the church. The caller said Sines showed up at the church and admitted he was responsible.
Police said in a later interview, Sines admitted he was the one in the photograph.
“Sines related prior to the incident he had been drinking alcohol and taking Xanax,” police said. “Sines related due to his level of intoxication, he only remembers waking up in the grass next to New Life Christian Ministries Church on the night of the incident.”
A preliminary hearing for Sines has been scheduled for Wednesday before Haggerty.
