LEAVITTSBURG, Ohio - A Trumbull County church is ransacked just weeks before Christmas.

Pastor Rodney Mullins of Leavittsburg Church of God says the thieves made off with a computer, that had his Christmas sermon saved on it, as well as money intended to help the less fortunate.

Mullins says the theft took place around 7 o'clock Monday morning. That's when a custodian arrived at the church and noticed an unusual SUV in the parking lot. 

"When the female in the SUV saw her, she made a call and then took off speeding out of the church," said Mullins.

Mullins says they believe the woman in the SUV was serving as a lookout while two men ransacked the church.

Police were called to the scene where they discovered a broken window  in the Children's Sunday School room. Mullins believes this is where the thieves started their raid.

"We had a little Sunday school envelope with three dollars ($3.31) in it that kids had saved and they took that envelope, and they threw the envelope on the ground and took the coins," said Mullins. "It clearly said 'Kids Church' on it."

Throughout the church office doors were busted, TV's and electronics were taken and most notably, a safe containing about $1-thousand in cash and checks for the needy.

"Our insurance company doesn't cover checks and they raise money from people we don't know, so we don't know how to recover those checks so that money is basically lost," said Mullins.

Mullins says they were able to find most of the stolen electronics. Two TV's were found in bushes located just outside the church doors. Other devices were found in a ditch. 

But, still no sign of the cash.

"Police say their plans was to load everything up in the bushes and then come back with a van to pick it up so it didn't look so suspicious," said Mullins.

Mullins says the church does have security cameras but, for some reason they weren't working that day. He's not sure how or if the thieves are familiar with the church set-up. But, they have since installed a security system and changed their locks.

They've also created a Go Fund me account hoping to recoup the money taken.

"We want the community to know we are still here and we are still going to minister. No matter what it takes we are going to feed those people, and we are going to clothe those kids and we are going to provide Christmas gifts," said Mullins. "I really believe people are going to open their hearts and we're going to be able to minister even more people than we originally planned because of this."

They ask anyone with information, or anyone who may have seen a blue SUV or black van in the area of South Leavitt Road to contact Warren City and/or Township Police.

"We are praying for those people we are hoping and praying they will have some conviction or guilt about what they did and maybe this will catapult them into changing their ways," said Mullins.

A link to the church's Go Fund Me account can be found here.