Two local churches defaced

In what the Sheriff’s Department has classified as “hate crimes,” two local churches were vandalized by individuals throwing beige-colored paint onto the main doors of their sanctuaries and the sidewalk area leading to them.

St. Peter’s Catholic Church at 450 South Stage Coach Lane and Zion Lutheran Church at 1405 East Fallbrook Street were both vandalized in the same manner sometime in the late evening hours of Tuesday, September 19, or early morning hours of Wednesday, September 20. “At St. Peter’s, beige-colored paint was thrown onto two of the three doors to the main sanctuary and paint was poured on the walkways,” said Sgt. Rich Hendrickson. “At Zion, paint was also thrown on the front doors to the church sanctuary and in addition, a cross was painted on a door to a music room with the same beige paint. They also stole a fire extinguisher at Zion out of an exterior fire extinguisher box.”

“Until proven otherwise, we have classified these as hate crimes, because two churches in the same area were hit and we haven’t had other crimes that were similar in nature to this,” Hendrickson said.

Hendrickson said the Sheriff’s Department is seeking any witnesses to these incidents or persons with information regarding them. To report any information, contact Detective Joe Rodrigues at (760) 451-3100.