Ex-janitor denies stealing church safe
A man accused of stealing the safe from St. Patrick's Church in Wadsworth pleaded not guilty Thursday in Lake County circuit court.
Jonathan Janda, 27, of 40715 N. Lester Ave., Wadsworth, faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted of burglary to a house of worship.
Lake County Assistant State's Attorney Scott Hoffert said Janda was a former janitor at the church on Wadsworth Road.
Sometime on Dec. 29, Janda dragged a 200-pound safe out of the rectory and took it to a house in Kenosha, Wis., police said.
Police said Janda pried open the safe door and found it contained more than $10,000 in cash and checks. He was arrested Jan. 4.
Police said Janda admitted stealing the safe and spending about $600 of the money that was inside the safe.
The safe and the rest of its contents were recovered after Janda's arrest, Hoffert said.
Circuit Judge Fred Foreman scheduled Janda's trial for March 10. He ordered Janda to appear in court Monday.