CRYSTAL SPRINGS, Miss. (WLBT) – Thieves broke through a wall at Mercy House Auto Center in Crystal Springs eventually taking a safe.
The bold break-in that occurred this past weekend targeted an organization that assists with drug addiction recovery. Law enforcement believes this heist is the latest in a string of recent robberies.
The Copiah County Sheriff said this is the third similar incident in three months.
“Something like this happening to us during the holidays is devastating,” said Mercy House Adult and Teen Challenge Executive Director Matt Milliman.
The auto dealership was the latest business targeted around 10:30 p.m.
Saturday, two men pried open a back door and then tore through a wall to enter the office. Surveillance video captured them discovering the safe containing $10,000.
They struggled to carry the 300-pound lock box and shattered the front door glass to escape.
“Just so happened we didn’t make a deposit that day. We make deposits every single day you know to limit the amount of cash that’s here on property,” said Milliman. “Here at Mercy our auto center this is the way we fund our ministry. We help men who struggle with drug and alcohol addiction. We have 70 plus men in our program.”
The auto dealership supports the Mercy House Adult and Teen Challenge, which receives donated vehicles and resells them. Men in the program repair and maintain the 350 vehicles donated annually.
“All that money it funnels right back into our program,” said the organization’s executive director. “A hundred percent of the profits here goes right back to our campus.”
A getaway vehicle was waiting for the men. It is believed to be a dark-colored Honda sedan.
“I guess they struck gold, but ultimately it hurts us,” added Milliman.
Mercy House is offering a $1,000 reward for anyone providing information that leads to an arrest. Contact the Copiah County Sheriff’s Department at 601-892-2023 if you know anything about this crime.
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