Security guard, friend used key to steal as much as $100,000 in church collections from Holy Name, prosecutors say - Chicago Tribune

Jarrell Patterson, 22, and Artemio Calderon, 25, were caught on surveillance cameras and were charged over the weekend with felony burglary. They both had worked for Monterrey Security, the cathedral’s sole provider of security for the past six years. But at the time of the burglaries, only one of them was still employed there.

After the charges were announced, the rector of Holy Name said the contract with Monterrey had been canceled. “We have moved forward with our efforts to strengthen our security procedures,” the Rev. Greg Sakowicz said.

Patterson and Calderon are accused of entering the church at State and Superior streets four straight weekends and stealing cash from the safe that holds money from the collection baskets.

On April 15, Calderon was seen opening a door with a key on his day off and letting Patterson into the entrance on State Street, prosecutors said in court Monday. They went to the basement, where Patterson gained access to the church safe and took cash, prosecutors said.

Security guard, friend used key to steal as much as $100,000 in church collections from Holy Name, prosecutors say - Chicago Tribune