It takes a particular kind of thief to walk away with money collected during church services. Menlo Park detectives are still hoping to determine exactly what kind of thief for themselves, as they continue to investigate who stole from the Church of the Nativity.

The weekend of Aug. 26 saw the disappearance of checks and money collected from the Saturday evening and Sunday morning Masses, according to a notice from Monsignor Steve Otellini. He thanked parishioners for donating anew to cover the loss, and asked those whose checks were taken to keep an eye out at the bank for signs of processing.

The exact amount stolen defies a precise accounting, although the Catholic church that stands tall at 210 Oak Grove Ave. averaged about $10,000 in offerings each weekend, according to the weekly church bulletin. The donations were kept in an office safe.

"On Monday morning when we usually count the money," Monsignor Otellini said when asked how the church discovered the theft. He declined to comment on whether it appeared to be an inside job.

Police spokeswoman Nicole Acker said detectives are continuing to interview the necessary parties.

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