Man Wanted for Stealing Pope John Paul II's Blood from Lemont Church: Police

Police requested an arrest warrant for a man suspected of stealing holy relics and donation money from a Catholic church in Lemont.

A Lemont detective testified in court on Thursday that after a series of burglaries at St. Cyril and Methodius police installed security cameras inside the church in an effort to catch the perpetrator.

Another burglary was reported at the church on June 21, where police identified a person of interest, Joseph Bailey, 32, on security video allegedly breaking into the church’s donations box. The detective said that Bailey is also suspected of taking two reliquaries that stored Pope John Paul II’s blood and a piece of bone from St. Faustina Kowalska in another burglary.

According to the detective, the reliquaries appeared to be gold but were actually made of brass. Although a monetary value could not be placed on the relics, they were “priceless” to the church.

Police picked Bailey up on June 22. The detective said he asked Bailey “if he wanted to help himself out” and stopped by his residence.

Warning Bailey that he would be considered an escapee if he left his house, the detective waited for him to return. Eventually, it was determined that Bailey had left through the backdoor of his residence.

He was wanted on charges of burglary and escape. The judge issued a $30,000 warrant for Bailey’s arrest.

The church did not wish to comment.