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Church Offering Stolen From Sheriff's Stepmom; Man Jailed

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TBO.com

Published: November 18, 2008

Updated: 11/18/2008 04:26 pm

Harold S. Williams

A Lakeland man accused of stealing church tithes and offerings this weekend happened to snatch them from the stepmother of Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd, officials said.

Shirley Judd, 72, was not hurt in the robbery Sunday outside Crystal Lake Baptist Church, where the sheriff's office said Harold Samuel Williams grabbed church envelopes and checks from her hands as she walked toward the church office with another congregant.

Williams, 28, was held without bail at the Polk County Jail today, records show. He is charged with felony robbery and a misdemeanor, disrupting a religious assembly.

Sheriff's spokeswoman Donna Wood said it is unlikely Williams knew that Shirley Judd was related to the sheriff.

Williams had filled out a "new member" card for the congregation the week prior to the robbery, which led to his arrest, she said.

After the robbery about 11:30 a.m. Sunday, Judd and the congregant recognized the attacker as attending the church, Wood said. Investigators discovered Williams' identity after finding the membership card; Shirley Judd also picked Williams' photo out, Wood said.

Williams had filled out the membership card with his mother's address. Investigators arrested him late Monday walking along Ellerbe Way in Lakeland, Wood said.

Several checks and church envelopes were found scattered in bushes north of the church, Wood said.

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