Police arrested a man Tuesday in the theft of more than a dozen religious artifacts from a Queens synagogue after he took them to a pawn shop, police said.
Efram Sanders, 28, lives just three blocks from the Congregation Ohel Rachel Degel Israel Synagogue on 68th Drive in Kew Gardens Hills, which was hit by a burglary last week, according to cops.
Rabbi David Sheinfeld said Sanders had visited the synagogue in the past but was not a member of the congregation.
There were no signs of forced entry at the house of worship in Kew Gardens Hills, police said, but they said Sanders got away with 13 silver items: four Torah pointers, three Torah crowns, three Torah breastplates, two Torah mini-crowns and one cup.
Cops recovered all the items except for two of the silver pointers. Sheinfeld says he expects to have the items of “religious and sentimental value” returned shortly.
“We have the utmost admiration for the professionalism and the dedication for the 107th precinct for their efficient professional police work,” he said of the man’s swift arrest.
The owner of the pawn shop recognized Sanders from news reports issued Monday and contacted police, cops said.
Sanders was charged with burglary, grand larceny and criminal possession of stolen property, police said.
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