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By Kent Larsen
Sandy UT Police: Worst Church Vandalism Ever
SANDY, UTAH -- Police in Sandy, Utah are calling the vandalism of an
LDS Chapel in their town the worst vandalism of a church they have
ever seen. Vandals struck the chapel sometime late Friday or early
Saturday overturning pianos, file cabinets and a refrigerator and
punching holes in the walls. Damage is estimated to be in excess of
$100,000.
Police believe the vandals gained access to the building through a
window that was either left open or unlocked. Entering the building,
the vandals went on a rampage, leaving nearly everything in the
building damaged, defaced or covered with debris. Every faucet and
toilet in the building was broken, flooding many rooms. Pictures were
taken from the walls and smashed and glass from broken light fixtures
covered everything. The vandals also sprayed a fire extinguisher
throughout the chapel, covering everything in the room.
"I don't think there's any place they didn't get," church member
David Scott said. "Whoever did it was very angry." Sandy police Sgt.
Kevin Thacker said he was surprised by the amount of damage, "I have
never seen vandalism like this before. The magnitude is incredible."
Police have not classified the vandalism as a hate crime because none
of the evidence they have indicates that Mormons were singled out.
And police do not expect to change the designation unless an
interview following an arrest indicates otherwise.
So far police have recovered footprints and fingerprints from the
building and possible leads from neighbors. According to Sandy Utah
East Stake President Barry Newbold, the damage was discovered just
one hour before a funeral was to begin Saturday morning, and stake
officials were forced to quickly move the funeral to another chapel.
The building has been closed for repairs, which are expected to take
several weeks, and the Willow Canyon 2nd and 5th wards are meeting
elsewhere in the meantime.
Stake President Newbold said he was shocked at the attack, "My
reaction is sadness and frustration," Stake President Barry Newbold
said. "I'm sad for all the people who are displaced, frustrated for
such a senseless act." And Monsignor Robert Servatius, whose Blessed
Sacrament Church suffered minor vandalism two weeks ago, said the
attack was on every religion, "Although we are different faiths,
we're all in the same ministry of helping people's relationships with
God," he said. "It's a slap at all sacred places."
Sources:
Vandals trash Sandy LDS meetinghouse
Deseret News 27May01 D1
By Pat Reavy: Deseret News staff writer
Police seek ties in vandalisms
Deseret News 29May01 D1
By Pat Reavy: Deseret News staff writer
Is destruction at Sandy churches connected?
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