STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — A 26-year-old man is accused of burglarizing the rectory of St. Roch’s R.C. Church in Port Richmond between Sunday morning Masses.

Josiah Vann of Brabant Street, who was previously convicted of a violent robbery in his home community of Mariners Harbor, also stands accused of stealing cars near St. Roch’s, which merged with St. Adalbert’s R.C. Church in 2015.

The brazen break-in occurred at the rectory of the church at 602 Port Richmond Ave. on Dec. 28 at about 11:15 a.m., according to the criminal complaint.

The defendant approached the church from a rear parking lot and tried unsuccessfully to enter through some doors, according to a source with knowledge of the investigation.

Authorities allege that Vann, wearing black pants and a gray hoodie, was captured on video surveillance entering through an unlocked window at the front of the rectory.

A priest in the rectory spotted the defendant holding a towel inside the bedroom, according to the source.

Vann told the priest that he was there to see a different priest, but the defendant then immediately left through an exterior door with the towel, the source said.

“That’s me,” the complaint alleges the defendant told police. “I went in through the window. I took a towel. I was being stupid.”

Vann was arrested on Jan. 3 and charged with burglary, petit larceny, criminal possession of stolen property, criminal trespass and trespass.

The parish declined to comment.

Alleged car thefts

On Jan. 3 at about 1:30 p.m., Vann was captured on video surveillance stealing a white 2013 Toyota Camry in the vicinity of Dixon and Villa avenues, the complaint alleges.

The victim told police that he exited the Camry to retrieve his wallet from a home. He left his vehicle unlocked with the engine running, according to a source with knowledge of the investigation.

Vann was recorded on video entering the Camry before driving away with the vehicle, police said.

About an hour later, officers allege they caught Vann in the driver’s seat of the Camry, which was parked in the vicinity of Maple Parkway and Forest Avenue.

According to the source, the defendant told police, “I saw the car running and said, ‘I guess this is mine now.’ I got in and drove off.”

On New Year’s Eve at about 5:50 p.m., Vann is accused of stealing a 2006 Nissan Altima, again from the vicinity of Dixon and Villa avenues.

The keys were in the ignition and the engine was running to warm up the Nissan. The victim went inside a home and realized his car was gone when he stepped back outside, according to source with knowledge of the investigation.

The defendant was captured on video surveillance footage entering the car and driving away, according to police.

Officers allege they spotted Vann driving the car about four hours later at the northeast corner of Continental Place and Grandview Avenue. Further investigation revealed that he did not have a valid driver’s license, police said.

“I saw the keys in the car and I got into the car,” the criminal complaint quotes the defendant as saying to police.

Vann allegedly gave a false name and birth date when asked to identify himself at the 121st Precinct stationhouse in Graniteville later that night.

In connection with the alleged car thefts, the defendant faces charges that include grand larceny, criminal possession of stolen property, unauthorized use of a vehicle, petit larceny, false personation and a motor vehicle license violation.

Vann has pleaded not guilty to all charges.

The defendant is being held at Rikers Island in lieu of bail set at $150,001 bond or $50,001 cash for multiple cases. He is due back in Criminal Court in St. George on Friday, according to public records.

An attorney for the defendant did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Robbery in Mariners Harbor

The defendant once served time in connection with a robbery in Mariners Harbor.

Vann and two accomplices forced their way through the back door of a multi-family dwelling on Harbor Loop early in the morning of Oct. 5, 2017, according to the Advance/SILive.com.

Once inside, the trio, at least one of whom was armed, snatched electronics, including a cell phone, according to police.

A 7-year-old child was in the home during the crime, police said.

Police said a 46-year-old man was pistol-whipped and punched in his face but refused medical attention.

Vann was arrested in January 2018 and pleaded guilty that same year to third-degree robbery in state Supreme Court in St. George. He was sentenced to 18 months to 54 months in prison for the robbery conviction.