EAST ISLIP Thou shalt not steal -- a commandment violated in the house God.
Whether or not the Holy Father was watching big brother was as a man pried open the poor boxes at St. Mary's Church to take cash donations from the needy.
"He stealing from the poor box, so he's taking from people who probably have less than he has," said Lt. James Gruenfelder of the Suffolk County Police Department. "He's not a Robin Hood, he's not giving it somebody. He's taking it for himself."
The sinner was caught on tape three different times raiding the poor boxes. Investigators arrested 37-year-old Matthew Belcher, who had inside knowledge of the East Islip Church.
"He claims he was an altar boy there many years ago, so he was familiar with the church," Lt. Gruenfelder said.
The church is open to everyone, even former altar boys-turned-thieves. Belcher was not charged with burglary because police said he simply opened the unlocked door, then pried open the poor boxes to steal the money.
"It appears from the video maybe a screwdriver to pry open the boxes, though we haven't recovered that tool," Lt. Gruenfelder said.
The videotape is damning evidence, but Belcher faces only misdemeanor larceny charges because police have no way of knowing how much money was taken.
Belcher appears before a Suffolk judge on Thursday morning, and perhaps eventually he'll have to answer to a higher power.
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