Montgomery County police are seeking a suspect who allegedly broke into a church on Western Avenue in Chevy Chase in April.
Officers responded at about 11 a.m. April 16 to the report of a burglary at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the 5400 block of Western Avenue, according to a police statement released Friday.
Investigating detectives have determined that a man broke into the church and cut sections of copper piping, the statement said. A construction crew hired to renovate parts of the church saw him and one crew member used his cell phone to film the suspect.
Detective found “items of evidentiary value” at the scene, which the suspect had left with stolen property, the statement said.
The suspect caught on the cell phone footage is described as a “Hispanic male, in his fifties, with a trimmed beard, medium build, wearing a white construction safety helmet, a reflective yellow/orange vest, a purple T-shirt, gray gloves and carrying a black backpack.”
Police ask a anyone with information about the case to contact Crime Solvers of Montgomery County at www.crimesolversmcmd.org and click on the “www.p3tips.com” link or to call 1-866-411-8477, the statement said. Tips, which may remain anonymous, with information leading to an arrest may be eligible for a reward up to $10,000.
