A woman seeking help from a Midtown Tulsa church decides to help herself and church members said she took donation bins and a woman’s wallet.
The theft took place at St. John’s Episcopal Church near 41st & S. Lewis over the summer but the woman still hasn’t been caught.
"I have never known anyone who has stolen from a church. I known homeless people who would never do that. If anything it's bad karma,” said church member Dawn Harrington.
As church member prepared for a prayer service for the homeless, member Dawn Harrington saw a woman walk through the doors.
"Welcome to St. John's, what can I do for you?" said Harrington.
The church member said the woman told her that she and her husband were recovering drug addicts and didn’t have food or money.
“She said she had two sets of twins and that they were extremely young, they were babies,” said Harrington.
The church member didn’t buy the story but the church never turns anyone away.
"Bottom line is that someone was hungry and she was a human being," said Harrington.
She gave the woman a bag of baby food.
"She gave me a hug and thanked me," said Harrington.
The church member didn’t know it at the time but the woman had already swiped her wallet from her purse and was heading on a shopping spree.
"I go to pull out my wallet I knew immediately what had happened, the wallet was gone. I just knew in my heart that she was the one who tad taken it."
In two and a half hours, the con drove about sixteen miles around Tulsa.
She hit at least seven stores and maxed out Harrington’s credit cards.
She went to Target and Belk in Tulsa Hills, Walgreens, Quik Trip off of 49
th West Avenue and I-44, T&J Grocery in the 4100 block of S. 25
th W. Avenue and West Highland Liquor off of 33
rd West Avenue.
Workers at T & J said they didn't recognize the woman.
"I want her caught and I want to prevent her from doing this again," said Harrington.
Mrs. Harrington didn’t know it at the time but later learned the woman and the man she called her husband were seen on surveillance cameras in a burgundy mini-van, possibly a late 90’s Dodge Caravan.
"Unbeknownst to use she had fleeced the church," said Harrington.
The crooks took all of the donations from the bins.
"I was very angry, as anyone is. I was very indignant as I know there are many people who are in dire, dire, circumstances," said Harrington. "When you take from what you don't need. I think you are going to have to answer for that."
The priest at the church said fortunately all the woman took was its generosity and welcome.
The victim’s bank caught the fraudulent charges in time so she wasn’t penalized.
The woman is seen wearing a tie dyed t-shirt with a skull on the front and white sunglasses.
She used the credit cards in West Tulsa and police believe she lives or knows someone in West Tulsa.
If you have any information about this woman call Crime Stoppers at (918) 596-COPS (2677) or text a tip to "CRIMES" (274637) and begin your message with "TIP918" or you can submit a tip online at
www.tipsubmit.com.
