An alert parishioner grabbed a suspected thief walking out of an Island Park church with the poor box in hand Thursday.

Frank Paccione, of Island Park, said he noticed a man leaving Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church holding the box used to collect donations for the needy. Paccione said he reached out and held the man, 53-year-old Wayne Erkander, at the street corner until police arrived.

Police said what Erkander, who is homeless, presumably didn't know is that the box had only $2 inside. Erkander is charged with petty larceny and possession of stolen property. The charges could be upgraded to felony counts because Erkander allegedly stole from a house of worship.