Reward Offered for Church Vandalism Leads

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a $10,000 reward Wednesday for information leading to the arrest of vandals who desecrated 11 Lancaster churches, some of which were covered with anti-Christian graffiti.

The reward offer came as sheriff’s investigators announced they had no suspects in the incidents, which occurred on the evening of Oct. 29 and the early morning of Oct. 30.

The churches were all Christian but of different denominations and in different neighborhoods, according to Det. Brad Feehan of the Lancaster Sheriff’s Station.

Windows and glass doors were smashed at each church, and some exteriors were spray-painted with upside-down crosses and other graffiti, Feehan said. At one church, about a dozen windows were broken.

The same people are believed to have spray-painted a sign outside Lancaster City Hall and vandalized a martial arts business, Feehan said.

An official damage estimate has not been tabulated, Feehan said.

The motion for the reward was introduced by Supervisor Mike Antonovich, whose district includes the Lancaster area. The motion also called on the district attorney and the county’s Human Relations Commission to investigate the incidents as possible hate crimes.

Anyone with information may call detectives in Lancaster at (661) 940-3845 or (661) 948-8466.