A woman charged in connection with a purse theft during Christmas Eve Mass in Greenlawn is responsible for other thefts, according to police.

They say surveillance video from St. Francis of Assisi Church shows 45-year-old Tara Costello swiping an unattended pocketbook from a pew while worshippers were receiving Holy Communion. They say Costello, who lives about a half-mile away from the church, was later seen on video leaving the building, hiding the bag under a jacket.

Church workers say they're glad to have the recently installed security cameras.

Costello and her boyfriend, 51-year-old Michael Cuozzo, are accused of stealing purses and wallets from three other establishments in the Huntington area last week.

News 12 stopped by the couple's Greenlawn home on Wednesday, but no one would speak.

St. Francis of Assisi Rev. Peter Kaczmarek says he's ready to forgive and even help the suspected thief. But first he says the suspect should pay the price for committing the crime.

Both suspects are facing grand larceny charges. Costello was also charged with possession of stolen property for allegedly using credit cards from the stolen purses.