CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) - Local clergy and Cleveland’s police chief are working together to address the growing problem of car break-ins now targeting churchgoers, part of a broader crime wave affecting the city.

Pastor Larry Harris of United Pastors in Mission said parishioners at five Cleveland churches had their cars broken into over two consecutive weekends.

“We experienced something that we have not experienced in my 42 years of being here at Mount Olive Baptist Church,” Pastor Harris said.

Crime spreads beyond downtown

Cleveland Police Chief Dorothy Todd said the car break-ins are not new and have affected not only churches but also school parking lots, the library, cars parked at Cleveland Clinic Hospital, and entire streets in Ohio City and Little Italy.

“This is not new what w

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