KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect in connection with theft of a historic church bell near Kansas City.
On Thursday the Cass County Prosecutor’s Office announced charges linked to the theft of a historic church bell in Gunn City, Missouri, approximately 50 miles southeast of Kansas City.
Christopher Longacre, 36, of Garden City Missouri, has been charged with felony theft and possession of a controlled substance. He has also been charged with a misdemeanor for resisting arrest.
On Wednesday, deputies located parts of the historic bell while serving a warrant to Longacre. It had been reported stolen on September 11. The next day, investigators obtained and executed a search warrant for Longacre after getting information he was in possession of the bell.
When deputies arrived at Longacre’s residence, he fled on foot. Investigators were unable to find any remnants of the bell that day.
On Thursday during a traffic stop, Deputies arrested Longacre on a failure to appear warrant and found pieces of the historic bell during the probable cause search.
Investigators found Longacre had cut down parts of the bell. They have reason to believe he was trying to scrap the remnants of the bell and sell them.
The bell is part of a church in Gunn City dating back to 1882. The bell survived a fire in the 1920s that burned down the church when it was a log cabin. It was put back up in the church which is still standing.
Longacre is held at the Cass County Jail on a $25,000 cash-only bond.