Man Allegedly Steals Wallet Inside Church

MANCHESTER, NH — A local man with a previous criminal history was arrested after allegedly fleeing a church after reportedly stealing a woman’s wallet, according to police. David Hill, 51, of Manchester, was arrested on Nov. 26, 2016, for theft by unauthorized taking, falsifying physical evidence, and loitering/prowling.

Editor’s note: This post was derived from information supplied by the Manchester Police Department. It does not indicate a conviction. This link explains the name removal request process for NH Patch police reports.

According to police, a woman attending church services at Blessed Sacrament Church on Elm Street at around 4 p.m. had placed her purse inside the sacristy while she prepared for Mass but reentered after she heard someone inside the room.

“She located an unknown man inside the sacristy as he was holding her wallet,” Lt. Brian O’Keefe of the Manchester Police reported. “She yelled at him as he fled the church and reported the incident to the Manchester Police Department. Officers arrived on scene and located the suspect across the street.”

An officer noticed a man reportedly hiding a pile of leaves inside the Baskerville School playground. The officer alleged that Hill “ran across the street while discarding the stolen wallet and his sweatshirt in an attempt to evade detection.”

Officers located the wallet and a sweatshirt on Brown Avenue. Hill allegedly had cash from the wallet, according to O’Keefe. He was arrested placed on a 72-hour hold for a probation/parole violation.