Episcopal Priest Faces Legal Troubles Over Theft

A priest from an Episcopal church in Pennsylvania is now dealing with some serious legal issues following multiple theft accusations.

Local authorities report that the pastor allegedly stole merchandise from a Walmart five days in a row, leaving without paying each time. The situation escalated when he was caught on camera during these incidents.

Aidan Smith, who leads Trinity Episcopal Cathedral in downtown Pittsburgh, was arrested in late February. According to reports, he was found with 27 packs of baseball cards concealed in a cardboard box beneath his clothes.

Each theft involved the baseball cards, with the dollar value ranging between $121 and $261. The total amount for the stolen cards was reported to be $1,099.99, leading to charges of receiving stolen property and retail theft against Smith.

Following his arrest, the Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh, Ketlen Solak, reached out to the congregation regarding the unfolding events. In her message, she assured them of her prayers for Smith and his family, as well as the Cathedral community affected by this news.

Solak noted that Smith had been on leave since late January, although she didn’t elaborate on the reasons behind it. The Diocese indicated plans to investigate the matter according to church guidelines related to clerical misconduct.

As the situation stands, Smith is out on bail and is awaiting a trial set for April. In the meantime, Walmart is pursuing $873 in damages since only a portion of the stolen cards has been recovered.

Interestingly, when arrested, Smith reportedly didn’t provide any explanation for his actions, and his attorney has refrained from commenting to the press.