Hayes Barton church worker faces embezzlement charge

Police have charged an employee of Hayes Barton Baptist Church with stealing more than $135,000 from the church.

Robert Garland Lahr, 49, of 917 Clay Hill Drive in Knightdale, was charged Jan. 4 with obtaining property by false pretense in excess of $100,000. He was being held Thursday in the Wake County jail under a $150,000 bond.

According to an arrest warrant, Lahr racked up $136,324 in personal purchases on a church credit card and manipulated the payroll accounts and made unauthorized transfers between accounts to cover it up.