Worcester, MA – A Worcester resident has pleaded not guilty to stealing tens of thousands of dollars’ worth of religious artifacts from a city synagogue where he worked as a maintenance man.
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Donald Spencer was held on $10,000 bail at his arraignment Wednesday in Worcester Superior Court on more than a dozen counts of larceny.
Prosecutors say the 29-year-old Spencer stole the items last year from Temple Emanuel, and pawned them.
The Telegram & Gazette (http://bit.ly/Ak7LTb) reports that the items stolen included Torah shields, crowns and pointers, a Havdalah spice container and a Kiddush goblet. They had been appraised at more than $30,000 in 2004.
Some have been recovered from a city pawn shop, but some have been melted down and are gone forever.
Spencer told police that he had a gambling problem.
How awful. I used to live in Worcester. Although I didn’t go to that shul. Too bad they lost somethings.
“Spencer told police that he had a gambling problem.”
Yep & addictions like his will often cause a person to do crazy things, in order to get their “fix”. It’s insane behavior & often times the person stealing KNOWS it’s wrong to do… but the hope of getting that next “fix” often becomes more important than doing what’s right.
I wish all of the people on here who have made the case FOR gambling casinos to be built in their town in order to bring more revenue to their community… would come on here & see the AFFECTS of what gambling does to people!
And it’s not just the secular – many religious people fall into the temptation of gambling too! Back when my husband & were Christians, there was a program at our church that helped marriages survive, after one of the spouses had wrecked their lives financially due to gambling issues. People fight about money all the time… but imagine if your spouse was spending EVERYTHING down at the casino? What if you had kids to feed?!
People get desperate & do desperate things. Of course this guy should be punished to the fullest extent of the law. I’m not making excuses for his theft.
But we as a society need to re-think gambling!!!