Search continues for Lakewood church vandalism suspect
Several churches near Colfax Avenue in Lakewood have been damaged and the detectives assigned to the case are looking for the public's help. They are hoping someone will recognize surveillance video of a suspect who is believed to have repeatedly vandalized properties. The main damage comes from broken windows, but some churches say they've dealt with the issue more than five times since February.
"It just brings tears to your eyes. You look at it and say, 'Why? Here we are again,'" said Michael Gutesha, the Treasurer for the Christian Science Society of Lakewood. "It's unfortunate a church can even be targeted. It's just smashing, just being destructive. They've never broken in."
All of the churches are within a few blocks of each other between Kipling Parkway and Wadsworth Boulevard. Most are along 14th Avenue. One pastor said a man with a hammer broke 11 windows one night. Lakewood police have been asking for the public's help for a month with few leads.
The Christian Science Society has been vandalized six different times since the winter. Few windows have been replaced and many are still boarded up. The church even bought a security camera system and captured a vandal the very next night.
"We're kind of waiting to see what develops in the investigation. If they happen to identify and capture the individual we've captured on film," Gutesha said.
The church had to file so many claims that it's insurance company dropped the church and won't renew the policy.
Most of the time, Gutesha is joined by a few members to clean up the mess. But a few months ago when the tall slim windows for the sanctuary were smashed, it was too much.
"When that happened and looking at all the glass shards, on the pews and on the carpet. We looked at each other and said, 'We can't handle this anymore it was just too much work,'" he said.
Gutesha said during all the occurrences he never felt anger or hatred. He's just hoping someone will help the police so the church can finally finish reinstalling all the panels.
"It's been tough on the membership," he said. "When somebody comes to the church you want them to be inspired and uplifted and you don't want to look at boarded-up windows and that feeling of depression."
