$20G in Christmas donations stolen from local church

• Christmas Day thief steals $20,000 in donations from the Church of the Magdalene in Pocantico Hills.

You're a mean one, Mr. Grinch.

That's what parishioners at the Church of the Magdalene in the Pocantico Hills section of Tarrytown are saying after a Christmas Day thief made off with $20,000 in donations.

"I was shocked, and our parishioners were shocked," said Rev. Joseph Dietz, church pastor for 14 years. "We've never had anything like this happen here."

There has been no progress catching the thief yet, Dietz said Tuesday.

Mount Pleasant police said the theft apparently took place on Christmas Day, while the 400-family parish was celebrating the 11 a.m. Mass. Someone pried open a back door, entered the church office and pried open a desk drawer containing the proceeds from two Masses celebrated on Christmas Eve.

"We have a very generous, dedicated parish, and they're rallying around the church," Dietz said, noting that after an email informing members of the theft was sent, most canceled their checks and are writing new ones. "People are responding and it's very gratifying to see."

He said donations at Christmas masses are about 10 times what they are during the rest of the year and that the stolen money covers about one-fifth of the church's annual operating budget.

Police said whoever was responsible for the theft knew where the donations were kept.

Dietz said he "would like to talk with the person involved in this."

"It certainly is sad that on Christmas Day, rather than be with family or loved ones, someone would come to our church and steal the donations made by other families," he said.

Anyone with information on the theft is asked to call Mount Pleasant Police at 914-769-1941. Calls will be kept confidential.

Twitter:@RichLiebson