Church thieves take lady's wallet

Portland, Conn. (WTNH) - A pair of thieves have sunk to a new low stealing from a woman while she was at church getting communion.

The 80-year-old victim says they swiped her credit cards, her social security card and $100 during last Sunday's 10:30 a.m. mass.

Her credit card can be seen on a surveillance tape being used at a New Britain Walgreens by a man and woman.

According to Father John Ashe, the parish Priest, the woman was sitting near the back of the church, she walked up this aisle to go to communion. When she got back, her wallet was gone and so was the man who was sitting next to her.

He may have slipped out of the crowded church but he didn't get away unnoticed.

"He very prominently blessed himself. I don't know if that was a camouflage or what, but I guess he was late coming to church and early leaving," said Father Ashe.

Portland Police have a surveillance photo from a car wash in East Hampton. You can clearly see the woman who may be an accomplice in the crime. Sitting next to her is a man that parishioners, at St. Mary's, describe as frail looking.

"He was a fish out of water, he was nobody I had seen in church before and he was strange looking by being so thin and so tall," said one parishioner.

The Church plans to make an announcement and encourage members to keep purses and wallets close-by even as they approach the alter.

"After this, I'm not going to have my pocketbook stolen if I can help it. So it stands to reason, you just take it with you. Because they can just come in, help themselves, and run out," said a parishioner.

It turns out, many have already gotten the message.

The two people wanted in connection to this incident have been arrested as of Thursday. The male suspect was wanted for an outstanding arrest warrant.