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Suspect Caught On Camera Vandalizing Pleasant Hill Church

PLEASANT HILL (CBS SF) -- Police were looking for a suspect captured on surveillance images in connection with a vandalism at a church in Pleasant Hill.

The pastor of Grace Bible Church on Cleaveland Rd. said church officials noticed on Friday morning that pieces of decorative fencing had been tossed into the church's center courtyard.

Pastor Scott Denny said a review of the security video showed a man wrenching open and damaging one of the church's gates, walking through the courtyard, and ripping up the decorative fencing around an oak tree. The man was seen tossing the pieces of the fencing into the center of the courtyard, then peering into a window of the building and walking away.

church vandalism suspect
(Pleasant Hill Police Dept.)

On Monday, police released an image of the suspect, who appears to be a man in his late 30s, early 40s. Pleasant Hill police said the vandal caused about $1,000 in damage.

Denny said he felt by watching the surveillance video the man was may have just been having a rough day and the church just happened to be the outlet where he vented his frustrations.

"At the end of the day it's just stuff for us, right? We're more concerned with someone's spiritual condition and just how they're managing life and the Lord that way," said Denny. "And so, but we did recognize that our property was vandalized and a crime had been committed, so we sent the video footage over to Pleasant Hill Police Department so they can do their job."

Denny said his church doesn't have any history of being vandalized and believes it was more of a one-off incident.

"If this man was to ever make his way back here, he'd be welcome, we'd be happy to talk to him, minister to him and speak to him about the hope that he needs."

Police urged anyone who recognizes the man to please call the department's Investigations Bureau at 925-288-4630 and reference case #20-3046.

 

 

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