Police examine after fireplace set at East Bridgewater Catholic church

Native Information

Vandals set a hearth on the church’s altar and made off with objects from the meals pantry Friday, officers say.

A fireplace was set Friday at St. John The Evangelist Catholic Church in East Bridgewater. Yellow fireplace retardant powder stains the fabric overlaying the altar. Courtesy/East Bridgewater Police Division

East Bridgewater police and fireplace officers are investigating after a neighborhood Catholic church was vandalized and a hearth was set on Friday.

Investigators imagine a number of individuals entered St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church at 210 Central St. through the center of the day, set fireplace to the altar and stole meals objects from the church pantry.

A lot of the harm happened close to the altar, the place a hearth was set that burned the altar material and a Bible, in response to the fireplace division.

“There isn’t any place for any such incident in East Bridgewater, regardless of the denomination,” Police Chief Michael Jenkins mentioned in a information launch. “We’re working with the parish to find out how this occurred, and why. We ask that anybody with data please step ahead.”

East Bridgewater police and fireplace models had been dispatched to the church at about 3:40 p.m., after the parish pastor smelled smoke within the church. First responders imagine {that a} fireplace across the altar had been put out with a hearth extinguisher, based mostly on a yellow powder scattered all through the entrance of the church.

Investigators additionally imagine the suspects used a water jug to try to douse the fireplace, however used a hearth extinguisher when that failed.

On the entrance of the church, the vandals lit votive candles and left used matches littered close by. Police mentioned the suspects dropped some meals objects taken from the pantry as they left by the again entrance.

Investigators imagine the incident occurred between 2 p.m. and three:40 p.m., since an worker was on the meals pantry round 2 p.m. and didn’t discover something amiss. 

Authorities are asking neighbors and residents who’ve details about the incident to name East Bridgewater Police at 508-378-7223. Neighborhood members are additionally requested to maintain a watch out for anybody sporting clothes or footwear with yellow fireplace retardant powder, which isn’t simply eliminated.