The Huntington Beach Police Department has arrested a man they say pretended to be an electrician to steal from Southern California churches.
Juan Carlos Montiel’s scheme was busted after he tried to force his way into First Christian Church in the 1200 block of Main Street in the early hours of Sunday, Aug. 17, police said in a news release.
A church employee spotted and confronted Montiel, who “claimed to be a worker responding to a power outage and was wearing equipment and carrying tools consistent with an electrician,” police added.
There was no power outage, however, and after Montiel was escorted off the property, the incident was reported to police.
Detectives identified Montiel as their suspect, and “the investigation further revealed Montiel’s involvement in multiple church burglaries throughout Southern California, using a similar method of operation by posing as an electrical contractor to steal from churches,” police said.
Those other victims include churches in Fountain Valley, the city of Los Angeles and L.A. County, police said.
Montiel was arrested on Wednesday. He did not appear in a search of jail records Thursday morning.
Anyone with information is asked to email crimetips@hbpd.org.
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