CAPE CORAL, FL - According to an online news report on several news sites, including WinkNews.com, a church in Cape Coral, Florida, is cleaning up after vandals caused damage that will cause tens of thousands of dollars to repair. Many volunteers came to help, and they were able to remove carpeting and repaint the children's room. The Gulf Coast Baptist Church, located at SE 24th Avenue in Cape Coral, Florida, was severely damaged, and the Pastor of the church stated that he felt those responsible would soon be under arrest.
The vandalism took place on October 18, 2020, and the vandalism included spray paint damage to chairs, walls, and photographs. The spray painted graffiti also included some vulgar messages and sacrilegious images. According to some of the accounts of the damage, the damage was incomprehensible and horrifying. One person stated that there was broken glass through the church, destroyed furniture, and computers were destroyed. The people who have been involved in the cleanup of the church have stated that it will take weeks to clean up the church. An early estimate of the damage is between $20,000 and $25,000.
According to Cape Coral police, surveillance video showed three individuals breaking into motor vehicles that night. The three criminals are thought to have committed the Gulf Coast Baptist Church vandalism. The news story reports that Cape Coral police are receiving lots of tips. In fact, the individuals supposedly filmed their criminal activities and posted the videos onto social media because they wanted people to see what they did.
Update: Three Teens Arrested in the Gulf Coast Baptist Church Vandalism Case
According to a follow-up story on winknews.com, the Coral
Cape Coral police arrested three minors for allegedly vandalized the Gulf Coast Baptist Church. An unidentified person provided a tip that led police to two 12-year-old girls. One of the girls is from North Fort Myers, and the other is from Cape Coral. A third arrest involved a 17-year-old girl. The Cape Coral police stated that the 17-year-old girl is dating one of the other girls' brothers. The three girls crept out while together on a sleepover.
The three girls are facing criminal charges of criminal mischief and es of burglary. The Gulf Coast Baptist Church pastor stated that he was not mad at the girls, but the Pastor hopes that girls will receive a wake-up about their life decisions.
The church's Pastor stated that he has been grateful for community assistance and support. He is also glad that the police made an arrest in the case so quickly. He stated that many people have been coming by to volunteer their time or to drop off donations. One local business offered to repaint one entire room that was covered in vulgarities. Vic Hein, the owner of Vic's Painting and Construction, stated that he read the news article about the vandalism, and he offered to help because he wanted the church members to understand not all people are like the three girls.