Vandals target local church
Warm Beach Free Methodist shocked
By JEREMIAH O’HAGAN Staff Reporter
Vandalism shocked the congregants of Warm Beach Free Methodist Church Thursday night. And again Sunday night.
Pastor Patrick Vance said the crimes have focused on the church’s youth building, where culprits poured five gallons of latex paint into one of three heat pumps on Thursday. They also painted anti-Semitic symbols on the garage door and spread feces on the doorknobs.
Three days later, they came back.
Sunday night, vandals poured latex paint in the other two heat pumps, painted another anti-Semitic symbol on the cement and smeared fresh feces on the doorknobs, Vance said.
Not finished, “they filled three five-gallon paint buckets with stuff and lit them on fire,” Vance said.
One of the buckets burned on the basketball court, while two more blazed under the building’s wooden eaves.
“Fortunately,” Vance said, “the building wasn’t damaged.”
The heat pumps may cost thousands of dollars to repair or replace. Vance declined to make any other comments.
Snohomish County Sheriff deputies are investigating the incident, according to Rebecca Hover, public information officer. Hover had no additional comments.
Staff Reporter Jeremiah
O’Hagan: 629-8066
ext. 125 or ohagan@scnews.
com.
