Man accused in string of thefts from churches in Nassau

A man accused of stealing money from poor boxes at a church in Garden City was arrested and linked to similar thefts at other Nassau County churches, a total of 13 burglaries in all, police said.

William Hepworth, 48, who Nassau County police said has no known address, was arrested by Garden City Police Department detectives in a parking lot of an Ace Hardware store in Massapequa at 5:35 p.m. Tuesday. He was charged with 13 counts of third-degree burglary and possession of burglar's tools, police said.

Police said Hepworth had cutting pliers, a pry bar and a screwdriver at the time of arrest.

Police said that on Friday just before 3:30 p.m. Hepworth entered St. Anne's Church on Dartmouth Street in Garden City, pried open four poor boxes and stole cash before fleeing the scene.

An investigation then linked Hepworth to similar church thefts in four police precincts in Nassau -- the Second, Third, Fourth and Seventh -- as well as in Malverne Village.

In one of the cases, police said, Hepworth is accused of stealing a public address system.

Hepworth was arraigned Wednesday in First District Court in Hempstead and held pending $140,000 bail.

CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story misstated the bail amount.

By John Valenti

john.valenti@newsday.com,ellen.yan@newsday.com

John Valenti, a reporter at Newsday since 1981, has been honored nationally by the Associated Press and Society of the Silurians for investigative, enterprise and breaking news reporting, as well as column writing, and is the author of “Swee'pea,” a book about former New York playground basketball star Lloyd Daniels. Valenti is featured in the Emmy Award-winning ESPN 30-for-30 film “Big Shot.”