The arrest of a Laurel man in Louisiana has produced a suspectin approximately 30 church burglaries in Mississippi, includingfour recent ones in Lincoln and Franklin counties, authorities saidThursday.

Lincoln County Sheriff Wiley Calcote said late Thursdayafternoon that Edward G. Morris, 52, was in custody in SabineParish, La., charged with attempted murder and robbery. While beingquestioned by authorities there, Calcote said, Morris admitted tothe church burglaries.

“He confessed to over 30 different church burglaries inMississippi,” Calcote said.

Calcote said Morris had allegedly pawned speakers at a MorganCity, La., pawn shop. Serial numbers on the items showed theybelonged to Pleasant Grove Baptist Church in Lincoln County.

“That was the link that proved it,” Calcote said.

Authorities had been looking for a suspect they believed robbedPleasant Grove Baptist Church and Antioch Church in Lincoln Countyas well as Damascus Church and Pleasant Valley Church in FranklinCounty between 1:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. Sunday. Speakers andmicrophones were among the items reported taken.

Calcote said he did not have information on the other churchburglaries in the state. He also was unable to provide detailsabout the attempted murder and robbery charges filed against Morrisin Louisiana.

More information would be released at a 9 a.m. Friday newconference, Calcote said.

The sheriff said Lincoln County investigators were traveling toLaurel to retrieve items believed to have been taken in theburglaries. Authorities also were on their way to Louisiana toformally charge Morris in the Mississippi crimes.

Franklin County Deputy David Blackwell, who has been workingwith Lincoln County authorities on the case, said the suspect’scapture was great news.

“Our people have been awfully worried,” Blackwell said. “Now ourfolks can sleep.”