A plumber finds sacks of cash and checks behind a loose toilet in Joel Osteen’s Houston cathedral
“Members of the Church claim that during a renovation project, a large amount of money – including cash, checks and money orders – was found inside a wall,” the statement said.
Police said evidence from the recovered checks showed the envelopes were involved in the theft of an undisclosed amount from the church on March 9, 2014.
Anti-theft and burglary officers took inventory and recorded the money recovered and left it in the custody of the church, as it was property found on its premises, the statement said.
Police said the investigation is continuing.
Lakewood Church confirmed the finding in a statement provided to CNN, but it provided no further information as the investigation is still active.
“Recently, while repair work was being carried out at Lakewood Church, an undisclosed amount of cash and checks were found,” the statement said. “Lakewood immediately notified the Houston Police Department and is assisting with their investigation.”
“There was a loose toilet in the wall and we removed the brick… I went to remove the toilet and I moved some of the insulation away and about 500 envelopes fell off the wall, and I said, ‘Oh wow,'” the caller said.
The caller said he contacted the maintenance supervisor and moved the money in.
Co-host George Lindsey told CNN they spoke to the man, who says his name is Justin, offline to make sure it wasn’t a joke.
Lindsey said: “I wish we had video of our faces because we are all the same, ‘holy cow’.
“He could have stashed some of this money in his pocket and walked out and never said anything to anyone, but [he] Lindsey said.
Crimestoppers of Houston offered a reward of $25,000 in 2014 for information leading to the arrest, but the organization says the money is no longer available because the statute of limitations in the case has expired.
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