The Santa Ana Police Department on Tuesday released surveillance video showing a burglary in progress at a church.
The video was captured May 1, between 4:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m., at the Forty Martyrs Armenian Church at 5315 W. McFadden Avenue.
Two of the men broke into the church, while the third acted as a lookout, according to police.
After rummaging through rooms and cabinets for about an hour, the burglars came across a safe containing $15,000.
The video shows one burglar leave the room and return with a crowbar, which the men use to rip the safe out of the ground.
The money was for the church's weekly bingo night, which was held the previous Friday, the church said.
"This was for charity. Nobody likes people who steal from charity," said Corporal Anthony Bertagna of the Santa Ana Police Department. "They collected money that they could have used for a lot better things than what these people will be using it for."
Similar burglaries have occurred at small businesses across Santa Ana. In each case, a safe containing money was taken.
Police departments in Anaheim and Irvine are investigating a handful of similar burglaries.
