NEW YORK (1010 WINS) – A vandal damaged two statues at a Brooklyn church in a suspected hate crime this week, authorities said--and video shows the suspect kissing one of the statues, depicting the Virgin Mary, before bashing it with a brick.
The NYPD released footage of the suspect as the department’s Hate Crime Task Force investigates Tuesday morning’s vandalism at the nearly century-old St. Therese of Lisieux Church in East Flatbush.
The suspect damaged the statues around 4:30 a.m. at the church on Avenue D, then fled the scene on foot, police said.
According to the Diocese of Brooklyn, a brick was used to damage the hand and feet area of the Mary statue. A cross in the hands of a statue of St. Therese of Lisieux was also broken.
Additional video provided by the diocese shows the vandal kissing the Mary statue before taking a brick to it.
No injuries were reported during the incident, which is being investigated as a case of hate crime criminal mischief, police said.
Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS.