ASHBURN — Msgr. Richard Zborowski believes the steady hum of his air conditioning unit and the lock on his bedroom door allowed him to sleep through a break-in at the rectory of the St. Thomas More Parish in Ashburn.
Zborowski, pastor of the parish at 2825 W. 81st St., said it wasn't unusual that his dogs stirred around 2 a.m. Friday morning. His pets often wake up when hearing noises outside. He simply quieted them down and went back to sleep.
He awoke several hours later to make coffee and take the dogs for a walk. That's when he found the lights on throughout the two-story residence he shares with the Rev. Matthew Compton, the associate pastor.
Drawers were opened and the contents were spilled over onto the floor. Two computers — valued at about $2,000 each — were stolen along with several televisions. The burglars also ransacked the basement, Zborowski said.
"The officers told us it was one of the worst trashings they have ever seen of a church," he said Tuesday afternoon.
Zborowski described the situation as "scary" and says he plans to install a security system. He also said the burglars clearly were not concerned about any reprisals in the afterlife for their unholy deeds.
"There are no boundaries anymore," he said.
Zborowski suspects that the burglars checked the door to his room as well as Compton's bedroom. He believes the locked door prevented a confrontation with the crooks, which he expects would have turned violent had they been discovered.
"You don't want to be seen by them," he said, adding that the church's insurance will cover the damage that took about two days to clean up.
The Chicago Police Department confirmed the break-in and said Tuesday afternoon that no one is in custody for the burglary. No injuries were reported, and Area Central Detectives are continuing to investigate the incident.
Zborowski was named pastor of St. Thomas More in June 2015. He succeeded the Rev. Charles Fanelli, who was the pastor of the Southwest Side parish for 11 years before retiring upon the arrival of his replacement.
He said the Catholic school once used by the parish has been leased to a charter school for nearly a decade. He is unaware of any similar incidents involving the school or other parish buildings. That said, he remained unnerved by the break-in.
"They made quite a mess," he said.
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