Floyd County police are investigating at least three church burglaries that were reported in the Kingston Highway area recently.

Thieves hit Mizpah United Methodist Church on Kingston Highway, New and Living Way Church on Dykes Creek Church Road and Blue Pond Church on Morrison Campground Road, according to police.

The thieves have taken electronics and several other small items in the thefts, said Maj. Mark Wallace of the Floyd County Police Department.

These burglaries may be related because they are in the same area, he said.

During the weekend, thieves hit another church, this time in the West Rome area, but at this point, that burglary does not appear to be related, Wallace said.

Churches are often a target for burglars because they have sound systems and are unoccupied, but there are ways churches can protect their property, Wallace said.

“Make it so hard for them to get into your place that they move onto another place,” Wallace said.

That can be done by installing lighting that keeps the property well lit. Motion detector lights that come on when someone approaches may also deter thieves.

Alarm systems are also a valuable deterrent, Wallace said. “I’ve only worked one burglary in my career where there was a working alarm system and someone was successful (at committing a burglary),” he said.

Police are asking for the public’s help. If you have any information about the church burglaries, call Ron Hunton at 706-235-7766.