MEMPHIS, TN - Memphis Police are looking for thieves who stole copper from a Mid-South church.  It happened at the New Bethel Temple in the 3300 block of Park Avenue in the U of M area.  Church members say the thieves stole precious metal after destroying the roof and several air conditioning units.

A house of prayer is wondering why someone would perform such an ungodly act.  The thieves damaged the roof, destroyed nearly a dozen A/C units and stole copper.  Deacon Nelse Nelson recently hired someone to make repairs to the roof, but this is not what he had in mind.  He says when he stopped by today to check on the progress made, "I walked in the back and said what the devil is going on back here."  Deacon David Marshall is also frustrated over the theft.  "I'm used to taking a lot, but sometimes you get a setback when something happens to you." 

The congregation says it will cost more than $100,000 to fix everything.  But spirits are still high.  The parishioners at New Bethel Temple want the crooks to know, "The Lord Loves them and so do I."

Our Neighborhood Crime Tracker takes a closer look at crime near the church.  In the past month there have been 145 crimes within a half mile of the 3300 block of Park Avenue.  There have been 35 assaults, 16 reports of vandalism, and 14 homes have been broken into.