A Crime Stoppers statement Friday announced that a $25,000 reward is being offered for any clues to help solve the $600,000 theft from Joel Osteen’s Houston megachurch.
According to police, $200,000 in cash and $400,000 in checks were stolen from a Lakewood Church safe. The money came from donations collected in services March 8 and March 9. The theft wasn’t discovered until 8:30 a.m. March 10, when a church worker and off-duty Harris County Sheriff’s officer noticed the break-in, MyFoxHouston.com reported.
No arrests have been made.
Lakewood asked anyone who attended services that weekend to pay close attention to their accounts and immediately report any suspicious activity. The church assured members this was not a data breach and was limited to donations made that weekend.
“We are working with the police to fully investigate the incident,” the church said in a statement. “The funds were fully insured, and we are working with our insurance company to restore the stolen funds to the church.”
Nearly 45,000 people attend services at Lakewood Church every week.
