Maryland Man Charged In Fairfax County With Stealing From Churches

FAIRFAX COUNTY, VA — Fairfax County Police arrested a Maryland man on charges connected to a series of thefts from churches and businesses across the Washington, D.C., area, the department said Thursday.

The man, Richard Thomas Phelan, 61, was found unresponsive in a white in the 5700 block of Columbia Pike in the Bailey’s Crossroads area around 10:50 p.m. on July 14, police said. Phelan was treated by medics and then was taken into custody.

Fairfax County Police said they found Phelan in the same truck he was driving when he stole from local churches. Officers determined the truck was stolen from Montgomery County, Maryland, police said.

Phelan was initially charged with unauthorized use of a vehicle and possession of burglary tools. Detectives identified Phelan as a suspect in several other thefts from churches and businesses across Fairfax County, police said.

On Monday, Phelan was also charged with three counts of credit card fraud, three counts of identity theft, theft of a credit card and petit larceny. He was held without bond, police said.

The investigation began on June 28, when Fairfax County Police officers went to the Saint Mary’s of Sorrows Catholic Church on Sideburn Road in the Fairfax area for a report of a man who stole a purse from a car in the parking lot.

The man used stolen credit cards from the purse at several nearby stores, police said. On July 4, the same man returned to the church and stole from two donation boxes. At least one stolen check was cashed from a donation box, police said.

Fairfax County Police said they reviewed surveillance footage and distributed flyers of the suspect throughout the D.C. area. The Montgomery County Police Department in Maryland identified the suspect as Phelan and said they had been investigating him for similar crimes.

Police said they are continuing to review surveillance footage and expect additional charges against Phelan.