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Virginia Beach church desperate after trailer vanishes with expensive belongings inside

Posted at 11:23 PM, Nov 14, 2018
and last updated 2018-11-14 23:30:07-05

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - Cornerstone Church is a portable one that has been welcoming worshippers in Virginia Beach for about two years. Everything has gone great up until recently when church members learned their trailer - which holds all of the church's  belongings - vanished.

“We get there usually about 7:30 am to set everything up. Everything from a coffee maker, from our kids' equipment to TV screens and audio boards. We have our own lights, our own sound - everything is ours," says Kayla Arestivo, member of Cornerstone Church.

Church members say because their church is mobile, their trailer is usually always parked behind another church on Indian River Road near North Landing Road in Virginia Beach. It’s always locked up, and they haven't had any problems until now.

Still from surveillance video showing a white truck make off with the Cornerstone Church's trailer

So, last Sunday before church service, you can imagine their surprise when they found out it wasn’t there.

"We kind of looked around on the ground a little bit, and one of my teammates had noticed the lock that usually goes on it was shattered and pieces were blown off from it and on the ground," says Arestivo.

Church members say they were able to kind of piece a little bit of the puzzle together from a surveillance video in which you can see a white truck take the trailer away. From the time stamps on the video, it happened just after 2:30 p.m. Saturday.

Members of Cornerstone say with all of the items stored in the trailer, they believe around $70,000 worth of valuables was taken. The pastor of Cornerstone Church went to social media to let people know what happened and ask if they would like to help restore.

Members say they are now starting from scratch.

“This might look like a setback, but we’re really positive that we’re going to see good out of this and we’re not going to focus on the evil that was done or the act that went against us. We’re just going to remain positive," says Arestivo.

In high spirits and with positive attitudes, the Cornerstone Church community says come this Sunday church will go on – with or without the trailer.

You can find details on how to donate to Cornerstone Church here.