Sheriff: man breaks into church, eats popcorn, then passes out in ladies room | Crime

SALISBURY - The pastor of Prospect Presbyterian Church was startled to find a man passed out on the couch of the ladies restroom, and the strong smell of popcorn permeating the air early Sunday morning before the church service.

According to the sheriff's report, the pastor called 911 after she discovered Daniel Beam.  When the deputy arrived, he found the pastor calmly talking with Beam in the ladies lounge at the church.

Beam had broken into the church on Highway 152 in western Rowan County on Saturday night because he was cold, according to the investigator who spoke with him.  The deputy noticed a broken door frame and concluded that the door had been kicked in.  Beam denied knowing what happened to the door, and told the deputy that he didn't remember how he got inside the church, but that he had been at a party at a house on Wilkinson Road on Saturday night.

Beam also told the deputy that he helped himself to a bag of popcorn.

Later, while being interviewed by the deputy, Beam said that he did remember kicking in the door and that his face, nose, and lip were injured, but he didn't know how that happened.  He did tell the deputy that he remembered that the popcorn tasted good.

Beam was charged with breaking and entering and held under $5000 bond.