For the third time this month, an area church has become the victim of a break-in.

According to Sheriff’s reports, a burglary at Ole Time Baptist Church, located on Ala. Highway 157, was discovered Sunday morning.

The perpetrator or perpetrators reportedly gained access to the building by forcing open a window, causing $150 damage to the window and screen. Missing items included a piggy bank with about $50 in it, along with a DVD player and a CD player.

Including damage to the building, the burglary set the church back more than $300, stated the report.

According to Al Barton, the church pastor, the stolen items were used by the church’s youth group. He said he had know idea who committed the crime, and that the church does not have an alarm system.

“There will be one put in very soon,” he said.

The church congregation consists of about 150 individuals, according to Barton. “If God is willing to forgive the person who did this, we can too,” he said Monday.

Ole Time is the third church to be victimized by thieves this month. On Jan. 2, the Sheriff’s Office reported a burglary at Addington Chapel United Methodist Church in Bremen and a vehicle break-in — which occurred during church services — at Baileyton Methodist Church.

At Addington Chapel, missing items included couch and futon cushions and various electronics, all of which were used by the church’s youth group. The total loss was estimated to be about $800. At Baileyton Methodist, losses included damage to the car window, which was shattered, a $200 cellular phone and a purse containing $1,000 cash.

No arrests were made in either case.

“It’s a shame that any church is a target for thieves,” said Sheriff Tyler Roden Monday. “Typically, churches and businesses are targets for night-time thefts though, because the thieves can find valuables without risk of confrontation with the property owners.”

According to reports from the Sheriff’s Office, the Cullman Police Department and the Hanceville Police Department, burglaries are up this month.

Since Jan. 1, the three entities have reported a combined total of 51 burglaries, resulting in more than $64,082 in lost or damaged property.

According to Roden, much of the problem is the result of overcrowding in the prison system. He said perpetrators of property crimes tend to get early release or probation to make room for more violent offenders.

Once released, he said, the individuals tend to commit the same type of crimes again.

“If they get prison time, they’re usually not in there long,” he said.

Roden suggested a penal system focused more on reform than punishment as a possible solution.

Anyone with information on area property crimes should call the Cullman Police Department at 734-2868, the Cullman County Sheriff’s Office at 735-2705 or the Hanceville Police Department at 352-9811.