![]() The-CNN-Wire™ & © 2023 Cable News Network, Inc., a Time Warner Company. “He could have stashed some of this money in his pocket and walked out and never said anything to anybody, but was an honest, stand-up kind of guy,” Lindsey said.Ĭrimestoppers of Houston had offered a $25,000 reward in 2014 for information leading to an arrest in the case, but the organization says that money is no longer available because the statute of limitations has expired in the case. He said he was impressed that Justin did the right thing and turned in the money. “I wish we had video of our faces because we were all just like, ‘holy cow,’ Lindsey said. The caller said he contacted the maintenance supervisor and turned the money in.Ĭo-host George Lindsey told CNN that they talked to the man, who said his name was Justin, off the air to make sure it wasn’t a prank. “There was a loose toilet in the wall and we removed the tile … Went to go remove the toilet and I moved some insulation away and about 500 envelopes fell out of the wall, and I was like, ‘Oh wow,'” the caller said. News of the find became public on Thursday when a man who identified himself as the plumber called into Houston radio station 100.3 The Bull and shared the story with the Morning Bullpen show. “Lakewood immediately notified the Houston Police Department and is assisting them with their investigation.” “Recently, while repair work was being done at Lakewood Church, an undisclosed amount of cash and checks were found,” the statement said. Lakewood Church confirmed the discovery in a statement provided to CNN, but it did not provide additional information because the investigation is still active. Police said the investigation is ongoing. A plumber found 500 envelopes full of cash and checks inside the bathroom of the Houston, Texas, church of celebrity pastor Joel Osteen. The money came from contributions given on March 8 and 9 of 2014.īurglary and theft officers inventoried and documented the recovered money and left it in the custody of the church, because it was property found on its premises, the statement said. The church is not commenting further, but previously said they are cooperating with the theft investigation.CNN reported at the time that about $600,000 - $200,000 in cash and $400,000 in checks - was taken from a church safe. Today, we are gifting that same about of money to this Good Samaritan and wishing he and his family a wonderful holiday season," said Mankarious. In 2016, they chose to gift us those funds for operations. The found money is believed to be connected to a theft that happened in March 2014 where the church reported that at least 600,000 in. In 2014, Lakewood Church gave us $20,000 to work on this case. Plumber finds missing money in wall of Joel Osteen’s. We believe that it takes all of us, working together, to keep Houston safe and thriving. "Crime Stoppers of Houston is a public safety organization that thrives on the public safety of all communities. On Tuesday, Mankarious received the approval to move forward with the gift. On Friday, as more pieces of this case came together, Crime Stoppers CEO Rania Mankarious discussed the possibility of the organization gifting $20,000, the amount originally given to Crime Stoppers by Lakewood, to the "Good Samaritan" plumber who they say made the discovery and turned in the money. By 2016, Lakewood decided to shift that supplemental reward into a charitable donation to Crime Stoppers of Houston in support of its ongoing public safety work in Houston and beyond. The incident happened in 2014 between March 9 and March 10.Īt the time of the theft, Lakewood Church gave Crime Stoppers $20,000 to offer as a potential reward for information in the case. The discovery was revealed when the plumber called into a Houston radio show on Thursday. ![]() The discovery comes more than seven years after $600,000 was taken from a church safe. Money Found by Plumber at Joel Osteen’s Church Is Tied to 2014 Burglary, Police Say. 10 during a renovation project, according to police.Īlthough police did not say how much money was found, they described the discovery as a large amount, including cash, checks and money orders located inside a wall. ![]() The video in the featured media player above is from a previous report.Įvidence recovered by Houston police suggests the money could be connected to a 2014 theft. HOUSTON - After a stash of cash and checks were found inside a wall at Joel Osteen's Lakewood Church last month, the plumber who reportedly found the property is now getting a handsome reward. ABC13 spoke to churchgoers Sunday, who called the situation confusing. Recovered evidence suggests the money could be connected to a 2014 theft.
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