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2 men accused of stealing food from a Polk County church

Ronald McCain, 27, and Nelson Newman, 59, were arrested Saturday

Ronald McCain, 27, and Nelson Newman, 59, were arrested Saturday (Copyright 2023 by WKMG ClickOrlando - All rights reserved.)

LAKELAND, Fla. – Two men face burglary charges after Polk County deputies said they broke into an outbuilding at a Baptist church and made off with frozen meat, ice cream and Gatorade.

Ronald McCain, 27, and Nelson Newman, 59, were arrested Saturday.

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Deputies said the pair broke into the outbuilding on the property of Christ Memorial Baptist Church in Lakeland early Friday morning. Investigators said the pair took about $300 worth of meat, “Lactaid” ice cream and Gatorade, loading the food into a bike with a trailer before driving off.

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Surveillance pictures from the church were shown to people living in the area, which pointed deputies to a home on Meridian Avenue, according to a news release. Investigators said they found the bike, trailer and some half-eaten containers of ice cream outside out the home.

A man inside the home told deputies that McCain and Newman had left home and returned with the food Friday morning, according to the release.

Both men face charges of burglary, theft and tampering with evidence.

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