The Howard Beach man who stole an invaluable chalice from St. Helen’s last year has found himself in jail after he violated his probation.
Theodore Kurplewski pleaded guilty to burglary in the third degree after police say he broke into the Roman Catholic church sometime between noon on Thursday, February 25 and 6 a.m. Friday, February 26 last year, making off with a $10,000 chalice, among other things.
Monsignor Al LoPinto had opened the church and discovered that the innermost doors had been forcibly opened, though there was “minimal damage.” The poor box was dismantled and its contents were removed. The doorknob to the sacristy door was broken and three locked cabinets inside were forced open. There were a number of chalices in the sacristy, but only two were stolen.
“The chalice that was stolen was given to me on my ordination day by my parents and family,” said Father Robert Keighron at the time. “It was designed by me, and custom made for me in the Netherlands, and was valued at about $10,000.”
The other chalice stolen belonged to the monsignor. There was also an amount of cash taken from a blue bag in one of the lockers.
Kurplewski’s father, Thomas, returned the items on Tuesday, March 9, 2010.
According to the district attorney, Kurplewski was to complete a drug treatment program as part of his plea deal.
But “he didn’t complete it satisfactorily,” according to a DA spokesperson.
He was sentenced to one year in jail on March 22.
Repeated calls to his attorney went unanswered as of press time.
“It’s sad he doesn’t see the opportunity that was provided him,” said LoPinto. “I only hope that in that year in jail his eyes will open. He is a young kid; he has his whole life ahead of him.”
