Five arrested in Nativity Scene theft after posing with ‘Wise Men’ in Facebook photo
Five teens, two under 18, have been arrested by Bedford County deputies for their involvement in the theft of nativity scene figures.
John Killgo, Scott Cooley, and Matthew Barringer (all age 19) and two juveniles face charges of grand larceny, trespass and property damage.
The arrests came after a tip from a crime stoppers caller who identified a photo on Facebook of the five boys posing with the stolen figurines.
Capt. Mike Miller, of the Bedford County Sheriff’s Office, said “one of the suspects posted a photo on Facebook of the group huddled around the stolen nativity figures, which included a baby Jesus, Mary and Joseph, and three wise men.”
Killgo detailed the events to WSET.
“It was my buddy’s birthday party and we got bored,” Killgo explained of the events leading up to Sunday night.
He says they intended on returning the figurines, but panicked over the media coverage, “one of his friends panicked and got rid of the evidence by driving the figurines to a dump.”‘
“I want to apologize to the church. I wouldn’t want someone to come steal from me,” Killgo said in a newscast in front of a plastic sheet and empty manger, all that remained of the nativity scene.
Deputies believe the suspects destroyed the figures from the Shiloh United Methodist Church.
The church estimates value of the 12 figures to be between $2,000 and $2,500.