Crime & Safety
2 Charged, 3rd Person Sought In Freehold Church Burglary
The burglary damaged the 52-year-old pipe organ at First United Methodist Church of Freehold, but it was functioning at Sunday's service.
FREEHOLD, NJ — Two Freehold men have been arrested and a third man is still being sought in connection with the burglary that damaged the organ at the First United Methodist Church of Freehold, borough police said.
Junior B. Romero, 35 and Darwin O. Romero, 35, have been arrested and charged with burglary, criminal mischief and unlawful entry of a structure in the Jan. 21 burglary at the church on West Main Street, Detective Sgt. Chris Colaner said.
A third person has been identified and is being sought, Colaner said.
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Rev. Wil Wilson said the damage during the burglary was primarily to decorative pipes, though some of the functional pipes were damaged as well. Wilson said that damage was limited, and on Sunday, the church held its scheduled service with hymns accompanied by the 52-year-old instrument.
As the service reached its ending, about 11 a.m., the congregation was joined by members and clergy from other churches in the area, "to join us in support as we sang hymns together to close the service," Wilson wrote on the church's Facebook page Sunday evening. "A very moving experience. This tragic circumstance has only made our community stronger!"
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The pipe organ was built by the J.P. Moller Organ Company of Hagerstown, Maryland, and has 677 pipes that range in size from the diameter of a lead pencil to one that is a foot in diameter and 10 feet long. It was dedicated at the church on April 9, 1967.
A preliminary estimate of the damage was $15,000, Wilson said. The church was working with its insurance company on the repairs.
In his initial post on the damage, Wilson urged the congregation to pray for whoever broke into the church. After police announced the arrests, he reiterated that request: "Now we have the names of the persons we are praying for. May they learn from their mistakes."
Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Shaun Hobbs, 732 462-1233, ext. 125. All tips are confidential.
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