CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Stealing from a church. That's exactly what is happening at Templo Elim Assembly of God, located at 2625 Gollihar.
A construction company expanding the church's parking lot recently noticed about $850 worth of materials missing.
The church said this isn't the first time it's experiences a theft on its property.
"I've always been a firm believer that, if the church needs something, you reach out and you help out in whatever way you can," said builder David Villarreal said.
That's why he offered his construction services -- David's Pavers -- at a low price to the church he has been attending for almost a year.
Church officials decided to expand their parking lot by 50 spaces in October.
But between then and now, Villarreal noticed wooden pallets missing from his pile of materials.
"We were about a quarter into the project, and they were still delivering material for me," Villarreal said. "So normally, when they deliver material, they take back the empty pallets. And they give us a reimbursement of $17 per pallet once they are returned, or we use that refund for the material."
He said the company needed to return 50 pallets to the supply company, but it only had 13. The rest were stolen from the church parking lot, and have continuously been stolen through Monday night.
"At the end of the day: return them," he said. "Because they are not going to get anything for them anywhere else. At the end of the day, they are valued more to us than to anyone else."
Villarreal said the pastor took a picture of a truck backing up near the pallets and loading them into the bed of the truck.
The church also has a security system and surveillance cameras in place.
Villarreal said he has yet to report the incident to the police, and is unsure if he wants to file a report.
Anyone with information about this theft can call Templo Elim Assembly of God at (361) 853-7639 or David's Pavers at (361) 777-6550.