Man arrested for burglary of Wartburg church

Man arrested for burglary of Wartburg church

WARTBURG (WATE) -- A man has been arrested for the burglary of a Wartburg church that nearly cost the pastor and his wife laptops with pictures of their late daughter.

Phillip D. Burgess, 27, of Wartburg, is charged with burglary and theft of property more than $1,000.

Union Baptist Church was broken into this past Saturday. 

A brand new projector worth $850, $40 in cash, and two laptop computers that belonged to Pastor Jernigan and his wife were taken.

There were thousands of pictures on one of the laptops including many of the Jernigan's daughter who died two years ago in a car accident.

Investigators say the laptops have been recovered. However, many of the pictures of the Jernigan's daughter had been deleted.

"I am in hopes that someone can restore the hard drive and they are still stored there," Dianna Jernigan says.

Burgess is being held in the Morgan County Jail.