PANAMA CITY BEACH — Ushers at a Panama City Beach church appear to have saved Christmas after preventing a suspected burglary.

During a Christmas Eve Mass, an usher noted an out-of-place attendee who “did not seem to know proper protocol of a Catholic Church, was inappropriately dressed in a pair of gray sweat paints, and white hoodie.” The man, wearing a black backpack, went to the bathroom multiple times but never used the toilet and “appeared to be continuously looking at his watch during the entire service.”

The man did look up, however, while the offerings were being collected, “watching where they took the offerings to.”

Toward the end of the service, the man walked to ward the offerings, tailed by an usher. The suspect then left through a side door, followed immediately by four other men “sitting in several different locations throughout the congregation,” all of whom went to a white Chevrolet van waiting in the parking lot, driver waiting, and fled.

Eighth Commandment crisis averted, the Mass concluded in peace.