The Bakersfield Police Department is searching for a suspect who burglarized an east Bakersfield church over the weekend.
Despite the surveillance cameras, alarm system, and fences, a man still broke into the building.
Sergeant Ryan Kroeker said on Sunday morning officers responded to Pleasant View Missionary Baptist Church on South Haley Street and DeWolf Street for reports of a burglary.
Officials said an elder of the church showed up on Sunday morning just after 8 a.m. and saw a broken window and a man trying to run away from the church.
A struggle ensued between the church member and the suspect before the suspect got away.
#CAUGHTONCAMERA: Police are looking for this man who broke into and east #Bakersfield church and stole several items. More tonight on @23ABCNews at 6p. pic.twitter.com/0diPA8V3nL
— Jessica Harrington (@Jessica23ABC) November 29, 2017
Officers responded and took a report.
BPD said two flat-screen TVs, an amplifier, video camera, audio equipment and a tripod were taken.
An alarm was activated at the time of the break-in.
Officials believe they have a suspect identified and are working to track him down.
The elder of the church who confronted the suspect is OK.
Church officials are still working on an estimate of how much they've lost.
BPD said surveillance video and the alarm system show that the window was broken around 5:25 p.m. on Saturday. Two men climbed into the church, the alarm sounded and the suspects ran out.
Around 8:45 p.m. Saturday, the same suspects climbed through the broken window, walked through the chapel and then left without taking anything.
It was the following morning when the suspect returned that the items were taken.
Pastor Tim Greys told 23ABC some of the stolen items had been returned to them from another community member.
Pastor Greys said he wants the person who did this to know that members of the church will be praying for him. He hopes the person seeks help and asks the man to turn himself in to police.
"If you stoop so low to break into the house of God, you're pretty desperate," he said.
If you have any information about this incident you are asked to call BPD at 327-7111.
