The treasurer of a Thomasville church has been arrested and charged with embezzlement in the theft of church funds. His wife has been charged with the illegal possession and misuse of a credit card.

Vernon Burroughs and Cynthia Burroughs were arrested by Thomasville police on Sept. 30 in connection with missing funds at the New Hope No. 1 Baptist Church.

New Hope is a historic black church that has been raising funds for at least 20 years to build a new church. Church members became suspicious when the fund never seemed to grow.

A review of church records and an investigation by law enforcement officers showed the church's general fund short more than $200,000 of what was reported.

Other discrepancies found that the church's building fund was not as large as had been reported.