FALL RIVER, MA (WBSM) — A 36-year-old man has been arrested and charged in connection with multiple church thefts in Fall River, including more than $7,000 in stolen donations, according to police.
Timeline of Incidents
The latest incident occurred on July 8, when officers were dispatched to Holy Name Church on Hanover Street at around 7:45 p.m. for a reported break-in. A church member reported seeing a thin white male with dark hair, wearing a red T-shirt, exiting the building as the alarm sounded, then fleeing on foot toward President Avenue.
Upon searching the building, police found no signs of forced entry or any immediate evidence of theft. However, two prior break-ins at the same church had been reported:
June 22: $6,000 in donated funds stolen
July 6: $1,300 in donated funds stolen
Surveillance Leads to Arrest
Police obtained surveillance footage from the July 6 incident showing a man later identified as Joseph Costa walking toward the church empty-handed and later leaving with a plastic bag resembling those used for storing church donations.
Costa was also linked to a March 28 theft at Saint Anthony of the Desert Church on North Eastern Avenue, where:
A set of church keys was stolen
A witness saw Costa take $2 from a collection box
He returned the $2 after realizing he was being watched
Charges and Arrest
Joseph Costa was arrested on July 8 and charged with:
Three counts of breaking and entering into a building in the daytime for a felony
Two counts of larceny over $1,200
Police credited security footage and eyewitness accounts with helping to identify and apprehend the suspect.
The investigation is ongoing.
