Stolen van found in MS, man arrested

AUSTIN (AP) - A van stolen from a South Austin church was discovered in Mississippi a day after it was reported missing.

Mississippi officials located Joe Spencer, 45, near the van. Police there said Spencer admitted to officers that he entered an Austin church to get the keys to the van and took it.

Austin police received a burglary report from the pastor of Sunrise Church, 4430 Manchaca Road, on June 13.

The arrest warrant states that the pastor arrived and discovered a window was broken near the church office, which appeared to be the point of entry. The pastor told officers the church was locked and secured the night before. He noticed an electric guitar was missing from the stage and just before phoning police realized the church van was missing, as well as its keys.

Jackson County, Miss., officials recovered the church van alongside a road at about 12:30 a.m. the next day.

Jackson County officials had received a report from a resident claiming he caught a man attempting to steal gas from his vehicle for his van. Officers then received a suspicious person report within hours of locating the van. When they responded to the second report, they found  Spencer and saw he matched the description of the man who attempted to steal gas.

Spencer was questioned and he allegedly admitted to entering the church and stealing the van. He claimed that the Austin church pastor had allowed him to sleep there.

The pastor maintains that Spencer was not given permission to enter the church and/or take any property.

Spencer faces state jail felony charges of burglary of a building.