Vandalism at Moorpark Mormon Church Probed as Hate Crime

A late-night rampage through a Mormon church in Moorpark is being investigated as a hate crime after someone scrawled graffiti on the pulpit, set fire to a scripture book and desecrated a painting depicting the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.

Church officials and investigators with the Moorpark sheriff’s substation said several light switches and a thermostat were also ripped out of the wall during the incident, which probably occurred between 10 p.m. Tuesday and 6 a.m. Wednesday. Damage was estimated at about $1,000, said Senior Deputy Ed Tumbleson of the Moorpark substation.

There are no suspects or witnesses, Tumbleson said, adding, “It’s not often we have this type of thing in Moorpark. I don’t think someone traveled miles to do this.”

Leaders of the 350-member congregation known as the 1st Ward, across the street from Moorpark College, said they were “distressed and confused” by the incident, the first vandalism of any kind at the 15-year-old building.

“I’m concerned that there is someone out there with the wrong impression of the church,” said Richard Taylor, president of the Thousand Oaks stake of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which includes the Moorpark congregation.

“Why in the world would you do this? What would make you think it was something you needed to express?”

Taylor, who previously served as bishop--the spiritual leader--for the Moorpark church, said steps are being taken to evaluate security and prevent a repeat of such vandalism.

Church officials said an instructor in the congregation’s early morning youth seminary classes made the discovery Wednesday.

It was the second case of vandalism of an east county religious facility in the last seven months. Sheriff’s investigators are still searching for a suspect in a June incident at the Islamic Center of Conejo Valley. Crudely worded messages criticizing Islam were scrawled on the mosque’s walls in red ink and spray paint.

Cmdr. Keith Parks, who oversees the sheriff’s station in Thousand Oaks, said the two incidents are classic examples of an attempt to “intimidate, scare and prevent people from worshiping the way they want.”

“Snakes are always hard to find,” Parks said. “They sneak in, do their damage and leave.”

Such was the method of the vandals in Moorpark, officials said.

The current bishop, Peter Meline, said whoever caused the damage either had a key to the building or walked through an unlocked door during a Tuesday evening church meeting and hid until the building was empty.

There were no signs of forced entry on the building’s doors or windows, although several wire screens were ripped.

Meline returned to the church Thursday as work crews rushed to make repairs in time for weekend services.

The damage included lighted cigarettes smashed into the face of Christ in a painting depicting his return; the painting was in an entryway. A Book of Mormon, a spiritual guide, was burned and propped up on the sanctuary’s oak pulpit. The word “Satan” and a profanity-laced message were carved with a ballpoint pen into the pulpit as well as a nearby table used in church ceremonies. Several wood pews had razor cuts.

Meline said locks were changed at the church in response to the incident.

“I see this and I say, ‘poor souls,’ ” Meline said.