PHOTO BY ARTHUR MCLEAN A sign in front of New Hope No. 1 Baptist Church announces the long-standing expansion program.

The Thomasville Police Department has arrested and charged Vernon Burroughs, treasurer of New Hope No. 1 Baptist Church in Thomasville, and charged him with theft by deception. His wife, Cynthia, was charged with fraudulent use of a credit card.

The arrest comes as part of a seven month long investigation by the Thomasville Police Department into allegations of theft and deception at the historic church located near Choctaw Corner. Police investigators say more arrests could be forthcoming.

The police department enforced a search warrant on Burroughs home Tuesday afternoon and seized a number of items, including a rechargeable drill and gas-powered weedeater and clothes that were purchased on the church's account.

Police officials say the investigation is still ongoing and indicated that other agencies are also looking into financial activities related to the church.

For nearly 20 years, the historic black church has been in a fund-raising mode to build a new church building, but a number of church members became suspicious when stated goals were continually missed after years of fundraising.

Church members were able to retrieve bank statements that did not jibe with the financial reports given by Burroughs. The discrepancy between a January 2008 bank  given to the membership and shown to the Times, showed the church's general fund fell more than $200,000 short of what was reported.

Thomasville Police subpoena'd the church's financial records and confirmed to the Times that there were discrepancies between the reports and bank statements. Other bank statements showed the church's building fund was not as large as reported, but the discrepancy was much smaller, about $27,000.

Church members who have spoken to The Thomasville Times said they have been pressured by people outside the church to have the investigation dropped.