KPRC2 story leads to police tip on location of accused church burglar

HOUSTON – Houston police officers captured a man suspected of breaking into several churches at a Northeast Houston apartment complex, Monday.

“We found him hiding under the bed,” Greg Shelton, a Houston Police Department Detective, said.

Victor Gaines, 36, is charged with burglary, following a break-in at Memorial Church of God in Christ at 412 Massachusetts St. in the Clinton Park area of the city.

“I’m not proud about none of that stuff man, I have a drug problem,” Gaines said Monday to Channel 2.

Police found Gaines Monday morning at the Swiss Village Apartments at 9603 Homestead Road, he had been staying with a friend, police said.

Shelton said that other church burglaries and home burglaries can also be linked to Gaines.

Gaines told Channel 2 Monday, he is only responsible for the Massachusetts Street break-in where 2 TVs, one laptop, and a digital camera were stolen.

“He has some kind of fascination with churches,” Pastor Dr. Morris Jenkins, said.

Jenkins said that his church and others in the area could not easily afford to replace missing electronics and damaged doors.

Shelton said that a Channel 2 viewer called Crime Stoppers of Houston to leave an anonymous tip about Gaines’ whereabouts after seeing the story air last week.

“This arrest is a direct result of a tip that came from that,” Shelton said.