2 teens charged in Lincoln County church break-in

Two teenagers, including a 15-year-old boy, were arrested in connection with a break-in Wednesday at Palm Tree United Methodist Church in Cat Square, an unincorporated community in western Lincoln County.

Deputies were dispatched to a suspicious-person call at the church Wednesday afternoon after the teens were seen walking around the outside of the church, the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office said.

Several church members visited the church to check on things and reported the incident to officers.

A neighbor on Palm Tree Church Road told a deputy that she saw two teenage boys walk past her home carrying a mirror and a white box.

Church members also checked inside the building and found a piece of mail left behind by the suspects from the Lincoln County Department of Social Services. The letter was addressed to a nearby home.

Matthew Humphries, 17, of Vale, was charged with breaking and entering a place of worship, larceny after breaking and entering and possession of stolen goods. He was jailed on $7,500 bail.

The 15-year-old will be turned over to juvenile authorities.

Stolen were kitchen utensils, a metal lock box, a mirror, tools and food. The items were recovered, investigators said.

This story was originally published August 20, 2015 at 1:57 PM with the headline "2 teens charged in Lincoln County church break-in."