This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2013, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Unified police want to find whomever did "thousands and thousands of dollars" in damage to a Magna church.
Sometime Saturday night or early Sunday morning, a suspect or suspects broke into Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, at 2864 S. 9000 West, through a side door, said Unified police Lt. Justin Hoyal. Whoever broke in then destroyed statues, damaged the kitchen and sprayed the fire extinguishers all over the place, he said.
"[The statues] were knocked over and destroyed…and in the kitchen, anything [there was] to spill or knock over or break, they were trying," Hoyal said.
The first person who showed up at the church Sunday morning found the vandalism and called the police. The church does not have any surveillance cameras that captured what happened.
This is the second time this year that the church has been vandalized, though the damage was much worse this time. There was also some evidence left behind, Hoyal said, declining to name specifics in order not to compromise the investigation.
On Sept. 30, 2010, someone also stole a beloved terracotta statue of St. Francis of Assisi from the church grounds, along with several planters.
The police are asking anyone with information to call them at 801-743-5950.
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