Man wanted after Georgia church burglaries
Winder police need help finding a man accused of breaking into several area churches.
Investigators have linked Bill Manis to the break-ins as well as “a series of (thefts from) the Winder Walmart,” Winder Capt. Chris Cooper said.
Manis, 25, is reported to have been in Auburn, Winder and Athens over the past week.
A $500 reward is being offered for information leading to his arrest, Cooper said.
Details about the burglaries and thefts were not released. However, authorities said the crimes Manis is accused of are not tied to another faith-related incident in the area.
Bernard Candies, 61, was recently arrested on charges of felony fraud, exploitation of the elderly and a probation violation after he walked up to Walmart customer Walter Hosch and defrauded him in the name of charity, Cooper said.
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Hosch told police Candies and another man asked about his faith and used his Christian beliefs against him in a scam built around the charity. Hosch ultimately withdrew $15,000 from an ATM on Aug. 23, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.
Arrest warrants have been issued for Sylvester Jackson and Marvin Scott in connection with the scam. One of them assisted Candies, according to police. The other drove the getaway car. Both men are 63 years old.
Anyone with information on either incident is asked to call the Winder Police Department at 770-867-2156.
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