stranger than heaven: Man Arrested for Stealing Over 100 Identities Found Living in Abandoned Church
In a case authorities are calling utterly bizarre, a man arrested for identity theft was discovered living in a deconsecrated church, a scenario police described as stranger than heaven. The suspect, identified as 42-year-old Michael Corbett, was taken into custody on Tuesday in rural Kansas. Officials say he had been residing in the abandoned structure for approximately two years, where he allegedly maintained a detailed operation to steal and sell over 100 identities. Corbett’s primary method involved looting mail from rural post offices and using the information to open fraudulent credit accounts. The investigation began after multiple victims reported receiving bills for items they never purchased. Police were led to the church by a tip about suspicious lights at night. Inside, officers discovered a makeshift bedroom in the former sanctuary, dozens of mail bundles stacked near the altar, and a laptop with spreadsheets compiling personal data. Corbett faces multiple counts of identity theft and fraud, with a bond set at five hundred thousand dollars. Local residents expressed shock at the proximity of the operation, with one neighbor stating it was "stranger than heaven" to think a sophisticated crime ring was operating from a sacred space.