Troy Police have made two arrests connected to recent burglaries.

Phelan Marques Williams, 31, of Troy, was charged with burglary after allegedly breaking into two area churches and Pike Liberal Arts School. One of the churches chose not to press charges.

Lt. Bryan Weed said Williams broke into God’s Way Baptist Church on Elba Highway in search of cash. The break-in was reported Monday morning, but no cash was missing. “To my knowledge, nothing was missing,” said Weed. “After a subsequent investigation by detectives, an arrest warrant on Williams was obtained on the charge of burglary third degree.”

Despite not stealing any property from the church, Weed said the charge was burglary because Williams broke in to the church with the intent to steal.

“He went into several cases that weren’t locked and weren’t secure,” he said.

For Weed, the crimes are a testament to a changing society. “The fact that they are churches doesn’t mean a thing to folks anymore.”

Williams was arrested at the Troy Police Department, where he was processed and transported to the Pike County Jail on a $3,500 bond.

Investigators connected Williams to the theft of electronics equipment from PLAS and added a second count of third-degree burglary charges Tuesday. The case is still under investigation.

On Friday, May 29, the Troy Police Department arrested 27-year-old Andre Seigan Knox of Troy on one count of burglary third degree, according to information released by Chief Jimmy Ennis.

“The Troy Police Department detectives obtained an arrest warrant on Knox for burglary third degree, after the subsequent investigation of a burglary that was reported in the 900 Block of Academy Street,” said Weed.

The burglary occurred sometime between May 16 and May 18. The victims were out of town. When the family returned home, they discovered the home had been broken into and several electronics had been stolen.

“We did recover some property back on the Knox case, but not all of it,” Weed said.

The burglary had occurred between May 16 and May 18, at which time the victims returned home to find their residence broken into. The victims had numerous electronics taken from the residence.

Knox was arrested at the Troy Police Department and processed at the Troy City Jail before being transported to the Pike County Jail on a $3,500 bond. This case is also still under investigation by the Troy Police Department.

Weed called the burglaries crimes of opportunity. In several of the cases, doors were unlocked. Weed said it was important to lock and double-check any doors and windows.

“Any kind of deterrent is helpful,” he said. “You can get a pretty decent security system with security cameras and a DVR for not a lot of money these days.”

He also recommended marking valuables in inconspicuous places so that they could be identified and returned. Keep a list of valuables and serial numbers. Photograph property, as well.

“There are a lot of times that we think a suspect has stolen property, but have no way of proving it,” he said. “Take precautions. As soon as you think it won’t happen to you, you’ll come home and your stuff will be gone.”