Pastor and wife in Northumberland County charged with theft

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    NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY, PA (WNEP) — A pastor and his wife are accused of stealing thousands of dollars from a church in Northumberland County.

According to court paperwork, pastor Gary Smith and his wife Cindy stole $8,390.44 from Calvary Tabernacle Church in Upper Augusta Township near Sunbury from January through May of this year.

“Unfortunately, that’s pretty common these days,” James Rhoades of Sunbury said. “They seemed to know they could get away with it for a while. That seemed to suit them.”

Police say the church treasurer filed a complaint with state troopers after she was told by Cindy Smith to use church money to pay off 20 credit card bills.

Court paperwork shows the pastor and his wife were using church funds to pay personal credit cards and personal items like a Peleton exercise bike, Sirius XM radio, and a kayak.

“Too many of the people get too full of themselves, think they are above everything,” said a man from Sunbury who didn’t want to give his name.

The Smiths are now facing several different theft charges and one count of receiving stolen property.

“It’s like, thank God they got caught before it went any further,” Craig said.

Gary and Cindy Smith are both free on $10,000 bail.

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