News

Actions

Akron church burglar who pointed surveillance camera at himself during break-in arrested by police

Posted at 3:53 PM, Mar 27, 2017
and last updated 2017-04-03 12:50:30-04

An Akron church burglar who left behind a close-up picture of his face was arrested by police.

After News 5 aired the video of the suspect, police received multiple Crimestoppers tips.

Connor Whited, 18, of Akron, admitted to the break-in. He has been charged with breaking and entering. Detectives said Whited also gave up the name of an accomplice. A criminal charge is pending against a second man.

The two men melted a plastic window at Church of the Nazarene on Triplett Boulevard, police said.

Investigators said Whited along with his accomplice then unlocked a window, entered the church and stole a television and a Blue Ray player from the fellowship hall.

During the break-in, Whited allegedly spotted a surveillance camera and tried to pull it off the wall. However, he yanked the camera towards his face, giving the church and police a tight shot of his face.

The camera also revealed he was not wearing gloves, so detectives dusted for fingerprint evidence.

Pastor Darrell Frazier was working in his office in a different section of the church and heard strange noises, but didn't realize it was a break-in until the burglars slipped away.

"It's frustrating," he said. "We're a church. We're trying to keep a church perspective. You don't want to be angry. We're more kind of sad and kind of disappointed than anything else because it works against what you feel like you've been working to do."

The men ran off with the electronics after a woman showed up at the church to do some cleaning.

Police said the stolen TV was found in Whited's basement and returned to the church.