Priest Steals Baseball Cards, Artifacts from Church

0:00From the Daily News Now Network, this is Birmingham News Today. A 42-year-old Episcopal priest in Pittsburgh has resigned as Dean of Trinity Cathedral after getting caught stealing baseball cards from. Walmart. Aiden Smith was arrested on February 27th while trying to leave the store with 27 packs hidden under his clothes. He spent the night in jail before posting $50,000 bail. Earlier this month, the Bishop of the Pittsburgh Diocese accepted Smith's resignation. Smith had already been on administrative leave since late January due to an investigation into missing church artifacts. Church leaders suspected he sold valuable items online without permission. The scandal has shocked the congregation at the historic downtown cathedral, where Smith served since 2019. Members are grappling with the betrayal, especially since the theft charges came right as the probe into church property heated up. Investigators linked an eBay account to Smith's address, uncovering sales of items like a century-old silver t-set for over $2,000 and a Tiffany Chalice from 1881.

1:04Other pieces included Titanic Memorial programs and rare historical letters. Church officials have filed formal misconduct charges against Smith, combining both the theft and artifact cases. They stress his right to innocence until proven otherwise and ask for prayers for everyone involved. The diocese continues its review. Support for this episode comes from our sponsor. See the description. Comfort you can hear. Sound you can relax into. S-O-L-I-SoliPillow.com