Vernon Dwayne Thompson, 31, of Chalmer Street in Winnsboro, was arrested June 6 and charged with burglary after officers found him inside St. Paul Baptist Church at 207 N. Garden St. Officers had responded to the scene at 9:30 a.m. after a witness reported seeing a suspicious person walking back and forth in front of the church. Officers found on the front lawn of the church a flat-screen TV and a shoulder bag containing a laptop computer and computer accessories, all of which was estimated to be worth $2,000.
The witness, a Hudson Street resident, told officers he had seen the suspect walk behind the church, where officers found a back door ajar and with the glass broken out of it. Officers searched the church and found Thompson plundering an upstairs room. Thompson was arrested and transported to the Fairfield County Detention Center.