Security guard accused of helping plan $20K burglary at Golden Gate church

GOLDEN GATE, Fla. —

A church security guard in Golden Gate is accused of helping plan the very burglary he later reported to deputies.

According to an arrest report from the Collier County Sheriff’s Office, 47-year-old Christian Vasconcellos is charged with burglary and grand theft after investigators say he helped steal $20,000 from St. Elizabeth Seton Catholic Church on Golden Gate Parkway.

Deputies responded to the church just after midnight Feb. 22 for a reported burglary.

Surveillance video shows a masked man wearing gloves and carrying a duffel bag using a key to get inside the church, according to the report. Once inside, the suspect went directly to the room where the safe was located. Investigators say the room required both a physical key and a code to access.

When the safe would not open, the suspect used a pry bar to force it open and left with several bags of cash. Detectives say approximately $20,000 was taken.

The break in the case came from a video recorded days earlier.

According to the report, cameras captured Vasconcellos, who worked as a security guard at the church, walking through the building with a man Vasconcellos said was his friend. The two were seen reviewing camera angles inside the church.

Audio from inside one of the rooms captured Vasconcellos saying, “They’re not going to know. It hasn’t been counted yet.”

During questioning, deputies say Vasconcellos admitted he had a master key to all the doors and knew the passcode required to enter the room where the safe was kept. Detectives believe he conspired with the man by providing access to the church layout, keys and knowledge of where the money was stored.

Vasconcellos denied being involved in the burglary but was arrested on Feb. 24. He is being held on felony charges.

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