A 60-year-old man was arrested in Medford on Sunday in connection with a series of thefts from donation boxes at local churches, police reported. Michael J. Bagley faces 19 felony charges after allegedly stealing money from St. Joseph and St. Francis of Assisi churches, which are part of the Mary, Queen of Peace parish.

Authorities say Bagley is suspected of similar thefts at churches in five neighboring communities, including Brookline, Newton, Watertown, Cambridge, and Quincy. Police identified Bagley as a suspect after reviewing surveillance footage that showed a person using a metal hook to retrieve money from donation boxes. The recordings revealed multiple incidents beginning May 19, typically occurring around noon on Sundays after services.

Parish pastor Father Tim Hynes contacted Medford police on June 15 after noticing a significant drop in the contributions collected through candle donation boxes at the two churches. He estimated the weekly losses at approximately $300—around $100 from St. Francis and $200 from St. Joseph—over a five-week span. Initially, Hynes believed the decline might be due to increased digital donations but later concluded that theft was likely responsible.

According to a Medford Police Department statement, Bagley is believed to have stolen nearly $2,000 from the two churches within about a month. A police report dated June 16 described Bagley as having an extensive criminal record and noted that he is unhoused. Investigators say he was arrested on June 21 in Medford Square around 11:30 a.m. as he appeared to be en route to St. Joseph Church.

Bagley faces multiple charges including six counts of larceny from a building, six counts of breaking into a depository, six counts of possession of burglarious instruments, and one count of larceny exceeding $1,200 by a single scheme. He was arraigned Monday at Somerville District Court, where he pleaded not guilty. Bail was granted with conditions barring him from entering St. Joseph and St. Francis churches. His next court appearance is scheduled for a pretrial hearing on August 26.

Father Hynes expressed sympathy for Bagley, noting that someone who knew him reached out after the arrest and suggested he has faced considerable hardship. “I have a lot of compassion for him,” Hynes said. “I’m certainly praying for him.”