By George Pawlaczyk And Beth Hundsdorfer
News-Democrat
November 10, 2011
http://www.bnd.com/2011/11/10/1936488/charge-against-poole-upgraded.html
When the Rev. Steven Poole was released Thursday from a hospital, police arrested him again and upgraded the shoplifting charge pending against him to a felony.
Authorities said the charge was upgraded from a misdemeanor because Poole, a Catholic priest, already was on probation for a retail theft charge in Franklin County.
Belleville Police first arrested Poole on Monday after he allegedly shoplifted a $28 ashtray from a downtown Belleville antiques store, Keil's Antiques and Gifts. After his arrest, he was taken to a local hospital for treatment of an undisclosed ailment.
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| The Rev. Steven Poole in January 2010. - BND |
According to a written statement Thursday from the Belleville Police Department, "A review of Poole's criminal history was conducted, and it was learned that Poole was on probation for retail theft in Franklin County."
Poole was initially apprehended near East Main Street and Virginia Avenue after the store owner and another employee tailed the priest's vehicle. He was then issued a notice to appear in court.
Poole was booked into the St. Clair County Jail on Thursday afternoon on the new felony charge, a count of retail theft subsequent offense. His bail was set at $20,000 and he was released after posting $2,000 bond.
Jason Buss, the owner of the antiques store, said that days before the alleged theft at his business, when Poole paid for the purchase of several antique and novelty items, he provided a tax identification number which the priest said belonged to the Catholic Diocese of Belleville. Buss said he questioned the use of the tax exemption number for what appeared to be for personal items and called the diocese's chancery office.
Buss said a woman who answered the telephone said it was permissible to use the number to avoid state sales tax on the antiques.
However, the Rev. John Myler, spokesman for the diocese, said Thursday that the number cannot be used when buying personal items.
He said Poole's arrest "sparked a restatement of the policy that that number is to be used only for purchases for the parish or the institution."
"I suspect there will be something going out," said Myler, referring to an email to be read by priests to staff or a letter.
Poole's previous criminal history includes an arrest for a theft at a Franklin County retail store in May 2010 that led to his guilty plea for stealing $3.22 worth of butter and a $60 sofa cover, and changing a price tag bar code on a mattress from $144.88 to $30.88. He received 24 months of probation that won't be up until next year.
In 2000, Poole was charged with felony theft after he pleaded guilty to stealing a 5-foot-long English tavern sign from a Ladue, Mo., antiques shop. He was given probation for that charge.
While he was on probation for stealing the sign, Poole received counseling and was then assigned to serve as parochial vicar at St. Mary Church in Belleville with Myler, who is now the priest of St. Peter Cathedral in Belleville.
In August, Poole was named "sacramental minister" of St. Barbara Church in Okawville. He formerly served as pastor of St. Augustine Church in Breese and St. Anthony Church in Beckemeyer.
In January 2001, Poole filed a police report in Breese claiming he had been beaten and robbed at St. Augustine Church. Police investigated and determined that the report was false. Poole pleaded guilty to making a false report and was sentenced in Clinton County to six months of court supervision.
Contact reporter George Pawlaczyk at gpawlaczyk@bnd.com or 239-2625. Contact reporter Beth Hundsdorfer at bhundsdorfer@bnd.com or 239-2570.
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