Deputies accuse man of burglarizing a Midlands church
A man was arrested after allegedly burglarizing a Midlands church.
The Newberry County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release that it arrested Matthew Christopher Temples, 34, and charged him with burglary and possession of cocaine.
According to the sheriff’s office, it received a complaint on Dec. 14 that a church on C.R. Koon Highway in Newberry County had been burglarized. A laptop computer, money, a guitar and some other items had been taken.
The sheriff’s office said officials at the church were able to provide security footage of the suspect going inside the church. A description of the suspect went out to deputies, and an investigator reportedly recalled recently seeing someone who matched the description.
Deputies later made contact with the suspect at a Walmart store, and he allegedly had the church laptop in his possession. He was placed under arrest, and cocaine was allegedly discovered in his possession during a search.
“This is a prime example of an individual having no respect for property, even that of a religious establishment,” Sheriff Lee Foster said in a statement. “We are very thankful for surveillance cameras and the attention our deputies give to their surroundings. The technology, deputies being aware of the crime and understanding the community and a quick response resulted in an arrest and recovery of property.”
Temples was being held at the Newberry County Detention Center as of Friday morning.
This story was originally published December 16, 2022 at 11:16 AM.
