Suspect Charged in St. Joseph's Church New Year's Eve Donations Theft

A 63-year-old New York City man, with 27 criminal convictions to his name, was arrested by police Thursday in connection with the New Year’s Eve theft of $2,000 in holiday mass collections from Bronxville’s St. Joseph Church.

Frederick T. Nelson, who had just been released from prison the day before for a past burglary, was arrested after Bronxville Police Detective Sgt. Richard Anderson recognized him from the church’s surveillance video.

The money was located in an unlocked safe in the church’s sacristy room, and Anderson knew Nelson because he had arrested him in 2011 on second-degree burglary in connection with an incident at Concordia College. Police said Nelson was a Yonkers native who is currently living on Ward’s Island in NYC.

“Nelson was charged with burglary in the third degree for stealing a bank bag containing the holiday mass donations from The Church of Saint Joseph (15 Cedar Street, Bronxville, NY 10708) on December 31, 2015,” said Bronxville Police Chief Christopher Satriale in a statement.

Following his arrest, Nelson was remanded to the Westchester County Department of Corrections pending his next court appearance on Wednesday, January 20, at 6 p.m.

Photo: Frederick T. Nelson. Photo credit: Bronxville Police Department