ELLSWORTH – Investigators from three agencies in Hancock County are investigating a rash of break-ins at local churches during the past several weeks.

Burglars hit churches in Bucksport, Blue Hill and Ellsworth starting late last month.

The wave of break-ins began in Bucksport in July when someone broke into the Jehovah’s Witnesses Kingdom Hall on Route 15. According to Officer Dan Harlan of the Bucksport Police Department, the only damage at the church was the broken door, and it didn’t appear that anything was taken. A week later, on July 30, however, the church was hit again and the thieves made away with some office equipment.

During the night of Aug. 5, thieves broke into two churches in Ellsworth, according to Ellsworth police Sgt. Bart Tokas. It did not appear that anything was taken from Emanuel Baptist Church on Park Street, Tokas said, but the thieves took office items and musical equipment from the Family Bible Church on High Street.

The incidents did not seem like vandalism, although the churches were ransacked, according to Tokas.

“It seemed like they were looking for particular items,” he said.

Also on Aug. 5, thieves broke into the St. Francis Episcopal Church in Blue Hill and stole an undisclosed amount of cash from a locked safe inside the building.

The Ellsworth and Bucksport police departments and the Hancock County Sheriff’s Department are working together on the investigations and are looking to see whether the individual incidents are related.

“There may be some sort of connection,” said Officer Harlan.

rhewitt@bangordailynews.net

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