Burglar Stops to Baptize Himself While Robbing Florida Church

Authorities say a man they arrested for robbing a church in Florida took time to baptize himself while he was there.

In a release, the Bay County Sheriff's Office says that Derek Porter of Georgia was arrested after deputies were called to the Emerald Beach Church of God in Panama City Beach on Friday.

Bodycam footage shows deputies approach Porter, who is standing outside the church with his hands above his head. When the deputies ask Porter if there is anyone else inside the church, he says that he doesn’t know.

Porter had used a cinder block to smash an entrance and gain entry to the church, the sheriff’s office says. The release also says that Porter then proceeded to cause “approximately $8,000” in damage to the church and also attempted to steal several items.

Among the items found loaded into Porter’s truck were a television, a personal computer, and the church’s money bag, the sheriff’s office says. Porter also had a slew of other stolen electronics from the church already loaded into his truck, authorities add.

“Methamphetamine and paraphernalia were also found on Porter,” the Bay County Sheriff's Office says.

A woman who was inside the church at the time of the break-in said to be an employee, fled when she heard Porter smash his way in, authorities say.

Porter reportedly told deputies that he could not remember what happened during various moments at the church. However, the suspected robber did tell deputies that he does remember baptizing himself in the church’s pool.

“Porter claims ‘something’ was holding his head down under the water while in the pool,” the Bay County Sheriff's Office says in the release.

According to the sheriff’s office, Porter was already out on bond for a burglary case in Georgia.

Porter has been charged with Burglary of an Occupied Structure, Criminal Mischief, Possession of Methamphetamine, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.

There was also a more lighthearted moment in the police bodycam footage when a police K9 apparently decided to beat the heat by also jumping into the baptism pool. Deputies can be heard exclaiming in surprise when the dog jumps in and then laughing as the K9 quickly paddles out of the water.