My brother-in-law, who worked at the airport at the time,
told me this story, and I found the news report concerning it.

♦♦♦♦♦

Who: Bart Bellin

Where: Gerald R. Ford International Airport

When: 2005

What: Cutting down a landscape pine tree at the Gerald R. Ford Airport in Grand Rapids, Michigan

• The tree was about 15 feet tall.
• The tree was part of the newly installed landscaping at the airport.
• The landscaped tree initially cost around $1,500.
• Bellin cut it down for his home’s Christmas celebration.
• He cut it down with a handsaw — in a few minutes.
• There were no security cameras directed at that location in 2005.
• Bellin accidentally dropped his check book while cutting down the tree.
• The police had examined the scene but had not discovered the checkbook.
• The custodian team was tasked with cutting the leftover stump to ground level.
• The custodian team, midst the snow cover at the airport, found the checkbook.
• Bellin had cut the tree’s trunk shorter in order to accommodate their room’s height.
• The police went to his home, and brought the leftover custodial cutoff.
• The police did not have a warrant to search Bellin’s home
• Nevertheless, Bellin’s cut off was left outside of his house.
•  The Bellin cutoff was found at his home.
• The Bellin cutoff was matched up with the custodial cutoff.
• The Christmas tree was seized and given to a ministry who gave it to a family.
• Bellin pleaded guilty to larceny and destruction of property and fined.
• “What were you thinking” — Judge Sara Smolenski
• “It was a foolish choice . . . I wish I could take it back.” — Bart Bellin

 This article does not contain all the information shared by my brother-in-law about the incident.

 

Key Biblical Thoughts:

• stealing
• sin
• regret
• 10 Commandments
• trials
• success
• worldliness
• the world, the flesh, and the devil
• Christmas
• foolishness / folly
• judgment

Sermonic Example: 

(use whatever information, quotes, or details you find useful) 

. . . .  When people do wrong, they honestly believe that they will not be caught, and some might not be by the powers that be in this world.  However, the Lord has a way of helping that process in this world by simply have a checkbook dropped at the scene — no miracles, just providence — providential events on all different levels from the custodial team, to tree stumps publicly left in the open, to matching cutoffs . . . . 

 

OR

A BigIdea: “Something’s You Can’t Take Back”