Sometime during the week of Oct. 18, thieves stripped an air conditioning unit belonging to the Metropolitan Community Church of Tampa.
According to senior pastor Phyllis Hunt, the theft was noticed the morning of Oct. 21 when an employee noticed the hinges missing off of a gate attached to a cage housing two units.
“They couldn’t break the lock so they busted the hinges and got in that way,” Hunt said. The units are protected by a cinder block wall and a wire “ceiling.” “Something must have scared them because they only got to one unit and it’s obvious they weren’t using it for cooling. They were after the copper.”
The unit was stripped bare, Hunt said, and only the fan and a few tanks were left behind. Tampa police said that copper thefts have become increasingly common in a struggling economy.
Unfortunately, insurance will not help replace the missing unit because the church’s deductable is $10,000. The estimated cost to replace the unit is $10,000-$12,000.
“This is such a hard time,” Hunt said. “We have some roof leaks. It needs to be repaired. That’s $40,000. It’s a really tough time and the economy has not been any more of a friend to us than anyone else.”
Tampa’s LGBT community has already begun to help the church. Mark Bias and Carrie West of MC Film Festival in Ybor City have sought donations for the church through their mailing list and the church has set up a user-friendly Pay Pal account on its website geared strictly toward donations.
There are also several fundraisers in the works already, according to Hunt.
“I’m touched,” Hunt said. “I thought we were going to have to manage this tragedy alone. We are very grateful for the kind support and care we’re getting from the community.”
Police took fingerprints from the crime scene but so far there have been no arrests in the theft. Hunt said she does hope the people responsible are caught, but she does have a message for them.
“We give you food without question. We offer you sanctuary with a welcome. We hold your hearts in times of great sorrow and loss,” she said. “Why would you do this? Help us fix this so that we can continue to serve you and your families and the community at large.”
It is not believed that the church was targeted because of its LGBT affiliation.
For more information on Tampa MCC or to donate to the church’s AC fund, visit TampaMCC.com or call 813-239-1951.
