By Chelsea Phua
cphua@sacbee.com

A Woodland man admitted Monday to breaking into a safe at a church and into an ATM kiosk, and his wife admitted to possessing stolen property from a different burglary, Yolo County authorities said.

Prosecutors said the couple, Jose and Eleanor Rangel, pleaded guilty to felony theft charges and will be sentenced March 3 in Yolo Superior Court.

Authorities said Jose Rangel was a handyman at Holy Rosary Church in Woodland who was fired in 2003 for allegedly stealing donations and other items.

Church officials said after he was fired, Jose Rangel was caught "lurking" in secured areas of the church, claiming that he still worked there.

On Nov. 26, 2007, church officials reported that the safe in the sacristy area had been cut open and thousands of dollars in checks and cash were missing.

During the investigation, Woodland Police Detective Dallas Hyde discovered Jose Rangel had tried to copy a master key for the church, claiming that it was for his house.

Investigators said they also discovered that Jose Rangel used a homemade ladder to enter a small, high window. Witnesses said only someone familiar with the church could have used that window to enter the building.

Video surveillance obtained from nearby businesses showed a truck carrying a ladder at the time of the burglary, and Eleanor Rangel apparently told witnesses that she knew the truck belonged to her husband.

However, when questioned by authorities, she claimed she did not recognize the truck.

Jose Rangel claimed he had a condition that caused him to forget large blocks of time.

Hyde later found illegal firearms and an acetylene torch "rig" that Rangel had borrowed a week before the burglary. Hyde also found that the Rangels had recently bought an expensive amphibious vehicle for cash and had financial troubles.

Besides the church heist, Jose Rangel also admitted to cutting into an ATM kiosk in Woodland in October 2008. Authorities said that in 2009, Jose Rangel also cut into an ATM in Roseville.

He is also being accused of stealing thousands of dollars worth of tools from his neighbor and setting fire to two cars that belonged to his former co-workers.

Jose Rangel's wife admitted to possessing a laptop allegedly stolen by her husband from a local business. She also admitted to trying to bribe the store owner to cover up the crime.