Man charged with stealing over €65,000 from a rectory

Panevėžys District Prosecutor’s Office has referred a criminal case to court involving a 24-year-old resident of Panevėžys District, M. B., accused of stealing more than €65,000 and over $2,600 from a parish rectory, according to a report by public broadcaster LRT.

The investigation began last December after a priest in Panevėžys District reported a large sum of money missing from the rectory, kept in drawers and an unlocked safe. The suspect, M. B., occasionally worked at the rectory and knew how to access the premises.

During a search of the suspect’s and his relative’s homes, law enforcement recovered all the stolen money except the US dollars. Investigators later established that M. B. had exchanged the dollars for euros at a currency exchange shortly after the theft and deposited the funds into his bank account. The suspect has fully admitted his guilt.

Under Lithuania’s Criminal Code, theft of property of very high value can be punishable by a fine or imprisonment of up to eight years. The case has been forwarded to the Panevėžys District Court for examination.