Vandals broke into a Catholic school in Long Beach overnight Monday, stealing church items, damaging statues and tossing the tabernacle to the ground, according to police and school officials.
Holy Innocents School posted on Facebook that the school’s church hall was broken into and destroyed.
“Statues were smashed. Our sound system was ripped out. Sacred and valuable items were thrown about and damaged — as if the goal was destruction itself,” according to the post.
“Whoever did this didn’t just steal. They targeted. They attempted to pry open the Tabernacle. They destroyed items that are irreplaceable, both spiritually and financially. Some pieces can never truly be replaced, and others will be incredibly difficult — if not impossible — to restore,” the post said.
A GoFundMe site has raised more than $91,000 toward repairs to the church as of Tuesday afternoon.
On Monday, officers responded to a reported burglary in the 2500 block of Pacific Avenue, according to a Long Beach Police Department news release.
Investigators determined that unknown thieves broke into the school and stole multiple items, according to the release. The incident was a “crime of opportunity with damage caused during the course of the burglary.”
The extent of the loss is undetermined, police said. The suspects and circumstances of the incident are under investigation.
Tony Tripp, director of advancement at the school, told the Long Beach Post that the school hasn’t determined yet what was stolen but that the damage was “definitely a high amount.”
The statue of the Blessed Mother, worth at least $40,000, was smashed, its head found on the floor, separated from the body, according to Tripp, who shared photos with the Long Beach Post.
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