WOLFEBORO — Local police arrested a homeless man on Wednesday and charged him with burglarizing a local church and forging checks stolen from there.

Wolfeboro police Sgt. Randall Archambault reported that he arrested Robert F. Connell, 37, no address, after the U.S. Marshal's Service tracked Connell to a homeless shelter in Laconia. He was taken into custody without incident and returned to Wolfeboro, where he was charged with burglary. Authorities allege that he stole from All Saints Church. He is charged with receiving stolen property, forgery and criminal mischief.

Officials at All Saints Church reported the burglary on Aug. 18, and three days later, the church discovered several checks were missing and that one of them had been forged and passed at People's Bank on Bay Street in Wolfeboro. Police and bank security identified Connell as the person seen passing the check at the bank, according to the police statement.

Connell was being held on $5,000 cash bail at the Carroll County Jail.

lmulkern@newstote.com