An Inside Job

Preventing Insider Theft (and theft in general)

Based on the Safety Member Certification training module Safety Member Fundamentals V5. [1][2].

From the Bible

The Bible mentions theft several times –

* One difference between this world and the next:
... where thieves break through and steal ... where thieves do not break through nor steal (excerpts from Matthew 6:19 & 20).

* Christians should not be thieves:
But let none of you suffer as ... a thief ... (Peter 4:15a).

* Judas was an embezzler:
This he [Judas] said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare [took] what was put therein (John 12:6).

Guarding against theft:
But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up (Matthew 24:43).

Introduction –

Theft is as old as history. Almost as old are measures to prevent it and respond to it. Walls, doors and gates, locks and keys, and guards existed in the most ancient civilizations, such as Egypt and Sumer. These were to keep thieves out. But not all thieves came in from the outside. Slaves and hired servants were known to steal from their masters. This ranged from pilfering small, ordinary stuff (such as food, wine, tools, etc.), to outright embezzling of valuables and money. [3][4].

Here are two relative biblical instances of persons who were not embezzlers:

• Joseph was highly placed, both in Potiphar's household and in the prison, because he could be trusted (Gen. 39:3).
• The idolatrous King Ahab of Israel made Obadiah (not a Baal worshiper, but someone who was faithful to Jehovah God) as his property manager (1 Kings 18:3). Obviously, he was the one trusted to not steal.

Thievery is an activity which has not died out. Stewardship of God's property requires us not only to not steal, but to reasonably protect that property from theft. Jesus' illustration of the master of a house watching out for a thief is not a commandment or advice, but can be taken as a model or example of what is expected: to take measures to guard against sacrilege (theft from a consecrated place). That is an example for leadership and the safety ministry in the church. [5].

In the News –

Embezzlement:

Jefferson County, Missouri, June 2023 to May 2025 – A church employee wrote several unauthorized payroll checks to herself. A witness discovered the fraudulent checks and reported it to the leaders who reported it to the police. The sheriff's office was called in September 2025. After investigating the theft, the former employee was ordered in April 2026 to appear in court. [6].

Manhattan (New York County), New York City, New York, April 16, 2026 – The Swedish Church of New York hired one of its board members, who was an investment advisor, to manage the investments of donations. By the way, he was also the baker in a popular café operated by the church.

In 2025, an audit by the Public Integrity Bureau of New York State uncovered irregularities in the investments, which led to discovering the scheme, which went back to 2018. The investments manager had been investing in shell businesses to cover the thefts. This included phony receipts from the “officers” for investment monies. Over $3.8 million was embezzled. He allegedly used it to buy his groceries, but most went to prop up a failing business.

On April 16, 2026, he was indicted on several charges, and faces possibly decades in state prison. He may also face federal charges. [7].

In a study of this case, Ministry Watch states that embezzlement by “trusted insiders” without “independent verification” is a repeated occurrence. [8].

Tulsa, Oklahoma, April 28, 2026 – Leaders in Christ the King Catholic Church in Tulsa discovered that a deacon who was the church's business manager had been embezzling money through improper transfers. The investigation began when discrepancies were found. This became a forensic audit by the diocese and a professional auditing firm, finding that over $1 million was taken. The deacon was terminated and law enforcement took over. He has been charged with fraud. [9].

Pilferage:

Pilferage in the church seldom gets into the news. This is not surprising, since embezzlement often continues for a long time before being discovered and involves large sums of money. However, pilferage can be costly. The effects of pilferage on a church can add to expenses from replacing supplies and equipment. In a church, pilferage is not just by employees and volunteers, but also by members and other attendees. This also includes taking money from offerings and vestibule café sales and stealing loose items, victimizing both the church and those who attend events and services.

Pilferage is, however, well-known in secular employment. There are articles about preventing and responding to pilferage in retail, manufacturing, offices, etc. Recommended measures can be applied in the church. Here is one:

A company named Garber Electric posted Employee Pilferage Prevention on its web page (it is copyrighted by Bizmove, a company providing advice for starting and managing small businesses). Here are a quote and an outline (with my notes) of the article:

Employee Pilferage Prevention [10].

“Not all crooks roam the streets of the nation's cities. Many spend their time in the manufacturing plants of companies. There, disguised as honest citizens, they shoplift and pilfer whatever comes to hand, often tampering with records to cover up their thefts.”

• Misplaced Trust,

Just because you know and trust someone does not automatically guarantee that they will never steal. Many thefts are by persons who were trusted, even those with close relationships. And many times, financial stress can make small theft more tempting, and once it starts, it tends to get worse.

• A Climate for Dishonesty,

Forge a climate where honesty is valued. Many times, employees believe that “nobody cares” or that theft is justifiable.

• Haphazard Physical Security,

Physical security discourages pirating larger items from the place and guards against intrusion during off hours.

• "Breaking-­‐out,"

This is unauthorized leaving and returning during working hours. This is when many pilferers take items out to pick up later.

• Audit Control Methods,

This is a must for preventing embezzlement or nipping it in the bud.

• Influence Employee,

Employees influence each other, and one larcenist person can get others to steal by example and/or by verbal justification. How honest leaders influence staff and volunteers can make a difference, counterbalancing bad influences.

• Keep Crooks Off Balance,

Just as random patrols deter or interrupt break-ins and outdoor thefts, unscheduled visits, inspections, and audits deter mischief and catch crooks in the act.

• Don't Play Detective,

Leave investigations to the professionals. They know how to do it.

• Rules Can Help Reduce Pilferage,

Rules let staff and volunteers know what to do and what to expect. If properly enacted and enforced, they can deter misdeeds.

Copyright © by Bizmove [10].

Here are cases that did make the news about pilferage in the church by outsiders:

Broosmfield, Colorado, April 12, 2015 – A woman stole a wallet from a church office and drove away with an accomplice. She later made purchases with cards from the wallet. Her image was captured by surveillance cameras. [11].

Manchester, New Hampshire, July 12, 2015 – Midway into the Sunday morning church service, a man came into the sanctuary. He sat down behind an elderly woman. When the congregation stood for prayer, he grabbed her purse and ran out. He took keys and cash out of the purse. After going into the basement and being cornered by parishioners, he escaped. However, he was later identified and arrested. [12].

Outsider Theft:

While guarding against insider theft, don't neglect your guard against outsider thefts, both stealing outside things and breaking into the church.

Rockingham County, North Carolina, April 2026 – In Rockingham County and nearby counties, several HVAC units have been stolen from several locations, mostly churches. One person arrested was charged with four of these thefts. In Rockingham County, at Ruffin Stacey Baptist Church, a worker discovered that units were missing. The pastor said they have forgiven the thief. The church not only replaced the HVAC units, but increased outdoor security. This includes better lighting and surveillance cameras. [13].

Fairfax County, Virginia, April 29, 2026 – The man arrested for burglarizing a church in Fairfax County is a career criminal. He had been charged many times with crimes, but several charges had been dropped by the soft-on-crime prosecutor. This highlights the importance of hardening churches against burglary and other property crimes – make it hard for criminals. [14].

Preventing Insider Theft –

Benjamin Franklin gave us the saying, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” This applies not only to fires, but also to theft. When we see the enormous amounts taken in embezzlements, from tens of thousands to millions of dollars, the meaning of this saying is stark. In this case, the preventive ounce is worth thousands of cure pounds. If yours is a small church, it wouldn't take that much to break it financially.

In “Preventing Embezzlement in Houses of Worship,” a Security Connections article on Worship Facility, Simon Osamoh prescribes the following measures:

• Implement Strong Financial Controls,
• Regular Audits,
• Segregate Duties,
• Transparent Reporting,
• Encourage Whistleblowing.

Simon is drawing on his long law experience in law enforcement and private security (including financial institutions). At a glance we can see that his view is compatible with Ministry Watch and Bizmove. Here are briefs on Simon's outline:

Implement Strong Financial Controls:

Basically, this means multiple persons are required for transactions. This makes it harder for one person to commit a theft, especially when the persons are unrelated (several thefts have been by siblings or couples).

Use Regular Audits:

If there are any discrepancies, an audit should find them and raise questions that need answering. Also have surprise audits to catch embezzlers unprepared.

Segregate Duties:

Having a different person for each area of finances makes it difficult to cook all the books.

Transparent Reporting:

Church finances should not be under a veil of secrecy. Governing boards and the congregation should have reasonable access to the records.

Encourage Whistleblowing:

“See something, say something” is to be an expectation. Suspicion should result in inquiry. A whistleblower needs to know that she or he will be taken seriously. A person being tempted to steal should know it, too, so it will be a deterrent. It will help in resisting the temptation. [15].

Here are several more Worship Facility articles about theft. Read them to broaden and deepen your knowledge in stopping insider church theft.

• "Simple Steps to Keep A/V Equipment Safe," [16].
• “The Insurance Marketplace for Houses of Worship: What You Need to Know,” [17].
• “How a $330,000 Church Embezzlement Exposed Crucial Financial Gaps,”
• Quote: “The absence of effective internal controls allowed her to exploit the system unchecked for an extended period.” [18].
• “The Power of Community in Church Safety and Security,” [19].
• “Securing Church Operations: Enhancing Safety in an Open-Door Environment, Security Connections,” [20].
• “Church Security at Christmas: 10 Tips for Holiday Protection, Security,”
• see "Tip 7: Guard Against Theft." [21].
• “Illuminating Safety: How Lighting Enhances Church Security,” [22].
• “Addressing Human Threats in Church Parking Lots.”
• Quote: “Trespassers and suspicious people can also pose significant risks in church parking lots. The presence of unauthorized individuals can lead to theft, vandalism, or more severe threats. It is essential for church volunteers and staff to be vigilant and report any suspicious activities immediately. Regular patrols, surveillance cameras, and clear communication channels can help mitigate these risks.” [23].

Gatekeeping with Vetting –

Vetting staff and volunteers for positions with access to the church's finances will reduce the chances of having an embezzler on that job. I say “reduce” because it might not be 100% effective, but we need to be very cautious. Everyone considered should be subject to background checks and reference checks:

• Criminal Background Check,
• Financial Background Check,
• Records at previous employment and previous volunteer positions.
• Conversations with previous associates and managers (especially at churches, schools, and service organizations).

The last item will disclose observations that are not in the records.

Training Note –

Every member of a Church Safety Team should be trained and certified through the Safety Member Certification program. The first training module (class), Safety Member Fundamentals V5, includes cash handling procedures, from collecting the offerings and donations to putting them in the safe to depositing them in the bank. The contents of this section of the module can be the basis of a class in handling cash for church officials, office staff, and ushers. [1][2].

Conclusion –

Thievery is a fact of life in this world, and insider theft happens in churches. Stewardship of God's property requires us to be on guard to prevent theft and properly respond when it does occur.

References –

1. Kris Moloney, Safety Member Certification, Sheepdog Church Security Academy, 2025 [https://sheepdog-church-security.thinkific.com/courses/safety-member-certification-v5-2025].
2. Kris Moloney, “Safety Member Fundamentals V5,” Safety Member Certification, Sheepdog Church Security Academy, 2025 [https://sheepdog-church-security.thinkific.com/courses/Safety-Member-Fundamentals-V5].
3. Staff, “embezzle,” Merriam-Webster Dictionary, no date [https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/embezzle].
4. Staff, “Pilfer,” Merriam-Webster Dictionary, no date [https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pilfer].
5. Staff, "sacrilege," Merriam-Webster Dictionary, no date, says, "The earliest sense of sacrilege, in use since the beginning of the 14th century, was concerned with the theft, misuse, or desecration of sacred or holy things" [https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sacrilege].
6. Kevin S. Held, “Church employee accused of embezzling thousands via unauthorized checks,” Fox2News, April 28, 2026 [https://fox2now.com/news/missouri/church-employee-accused-of-embezzling-thousands-via-unauthorized-checks/].
7. Peter Senzamici, “Financial advisor and baker allegedly swiped millions from NYC church to pay for his own groceries,” New York Post, April 16, 2026 [https://nypost.com/2026/04/16/us-news/financial-advisor-allegedly-swiped-millions-from-the-swedish-church-of-new-york/].
8. Jessica Eturralde, “The Risk of One Trusted Insider | Lessons from the Swedish Church of New York Case that Lost $3.8 Million,” MinistryWatch, April 30, 2026 [https://ministrywatch.com/the-risk-of-one-trusted-insider/].
9. News Staff, “Former Tulsa church deacon, business manager charged in fraud case,” Fox23News, April 28, 2026, Updated April 29, 2026 [https://www.fox23.com/news/former-tulsa-church-deacon-business-manager-charged-in-fraud-case/article_8e39b48a-e993-4553-913d-094dd4822dec.html].
10. Anonymous, “Employee Pilferage Prevention,” Bizmove, posted by Garber Electric, no date [https://www.garberelectric.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Employee_Pilferage_Prevention.pdf].
11. News Staff, “Woman Suspected Of Stealing Wallet From Church,” CBS News Colorado, May 8, 2015 [https://www.cbsnews.com/colorado/news/woman-suspected-of-stealing-wallet-from-church/].
12. Andy Hershberger, “Police: Man steals purse from elderly woman in church pew,” WMUR9ABC, July 20, 2015 [https://www.wmur.com/article/police-man-steals-purse-from-elderly-woman-in-church-pew/5202057].
13. Bryce Parker, “Rockingham County church responds with forgiveness after HVAC units stolen in multi-county crime spree,” WFMY News, Published -April 29, 2026 [https://www.wfmynews2.com/article/news/local/rockingham-county-church-responds-with-forgiveness-after-hvac-units-stolen-in-multi-county-crime-spree/83-a48c5ba1-37f6-45c2-ac48-47297849d83b].
14. Charles Creitz, “Repeat offender with dozens of prior charges arrested for burglarizing church in Soros-backed DA's county,” Fox News, April 29, 2026 [https://www.foxnews.com/politics/repeat-offender-dozens-prior-charges-arrested-burglarizing-church-soros-backed-das-county].
15. Simon Osamoh, "Preventing Embezzlement in Houses of Worship," Security Connections, Worship Facility, July 2, 2024 [https://www.worshipfacility.com/2024/11/19/how-a-330000-church-embezzlement-exposed-crucial-financial-gaps/].
16. Bill Di Paolo, "Simple Steps to Keep A/V Equipment Safe," Security Connections, Worship Facility, August 3, 2023 [https://www.worshipfacility.com/2023/08/03/simple-steps-to-keep-a-v-equipment-safe/]
17. Luke Shipp, The Insurance Marketplace for Houses of Worship: What You Need to Know, Security Connections, Worship Facility, May 3, 2021 [https://www.worshipfacility.com/2021/05/03/the-insurance-marketplace-for-houses-of-worship-what-you-need-to-know/].
18. Simon Osamoh, "How a $330,000 Church Embezzlement Exposed Crucial Financial Gaps, Security Connections," Worship Facility, November 19, 2024 [https://www.woshipfacility.com/2024/11/19/how-a-330000-church-embezzlement-exposed-crucial-financial-gaps/].
19. Simon Osamoh, "The Power of Community in Church Safety and Security," Security Connections, Worship Facility, November 5, 2024 [https://www.worshipfacility.com/2024/11/05/the-power-of-community-in-church-safety-and-security/].
20. Simon Osamoh, "Securing Church Operations: Enhancing Safety in an Open-Door Environment, Security Connections," Worship Facility, June 8, 2023 [https://www.worshipfacility.com/2023/06/08/how-do-you-secure-a-place-thats-open-to-everyone/].
21. Simon Osamoh, "Church Security at Christmas: 10 Tips for Holiday Protection," Security Connections, Worship Facility, November 7, 2023 [https://www.worshipfacility.com/2023/11/07/church-security-at-christmas-10-tips-for-holiday-protection/ ].
22. Nathan Parr, "Illuminating Safety: How Lighting Enhances Church Security," Facilities, Worship Facility, July 16, 2024 [https://www.worshipfacility.com/2024/07/16/illuminating-safety-how-lighting-enhances-church-security/].
23. Worship Facility Staff, "Addressing Human Threats in Church Parking Lots," Facilities, Worship Facility, February 18, 2025 [https://www.worshipfacility.com/2025/02/18/addressing-human-threats-in-church-parking-lots/].