Attention Churches: Are You Missing Musical Equipment?

Sign up for the Peachtree Corners Patch newsletter!

-----

Gwinnett Police are looking for more victims in what they believe to be a string of burglaries and thefts of musical instruments from local churches.

So far, police have charged Albert Dobbs Sams of Norcross with burglaries at Hebron Baptist Church in Dacula and Duluth Presbyterian Church.

Four electronic keyboards were reported stolen from Hebron Baptist on March 1; an amplifier was reported stolen on March 16 from Duluth Presbyterian..

All of the items were pawned at pawn shops in Norcross (Dynasty Pawn, 5075 Jimmy Carter Boulevard, and Norcross Pawn and Title, 5476 Jimmy Carter Boulevard) and Lawrenceville (Premier Pawn, 1455 Pleasant Hill Road).

Police said Sams received $1,600 for the items, which were valued at more than $6,000.

Using a pawn registry database, investigators tracked the items back to Sams, 24, who turned himself into police on April 1. He is charged with two counts of burglary and three counts of theft by deception, police said. Sams is still in custody, and could face more charges.

Police say Sams has pawned assorted musical band equipment over the past several months.

“However, we don’t have victims for the other pawned items,” police spokeswoman Cpl. Michele Pihera said in a news release. “The lead detective believes that the victims of these burglaries or thefts may be other local churches.”

Police said if you believe your church is a possible victim of a burglary or theft of musical equipment, you should call Detective Poppe at 770-513-5343 or 770-513-5300.

Pihera said there are possible cases in Roswell, Norcross and Johns Creek.

Photo: Albert Dobbs Sams; musical equipment stolen from Hebron Baptist Church in Dacula. Credit: Gwinnett Police PIO)