17-Year-Old Charged With Vandalizing McHenry Church
(CBS) -- Prosecutors have charged a 17-year-old McHenry boy with another act of vandalism at a Catholic Church in the far northwest suburb.
That brings to three the number of incidents in which he is charged.
In the latest incident, on Wednesday, Feb. 5, more than $10,000 in damage was inflicted upon a twice-damaged statue of St. Patrick in front of the church, at 3500 Washington St.
McHenry Deputy Police Chief John Birk said the damage was the most serious yet to the statue. Last June 9, someone damaged the statue, a light post and two air conditioning units, along with other exterior vandalism. On July 3, both the interior and exterior of the church sustained damage, including the statue, light posts, air conditioning units, a picture and a window; Birk said items were also stolen from the church.
Birk estimated the damage in the first incident at approximately $3,000 and in the second incident at $5,000.
Charges were brought Friday in the first two incidents, which Birk said occurred when the suspect was 16.
The charges include criminal damage of more than $10,000 to a place of worship, two counts of criminal damage to a place of worship, two counts of theft from a place of worship and one count of burglary to a place of worship.
Birk said it was unclear if the statue could be repaired after the latest act of vandalism.
He refused to say if the teen acted alone what could have prompted the teen to inflict the damage.
The teen, whose name was withheld by police because of his status as a juvenile offender, is being held at the Kane County Juvenile Detention facility pending a juvenile court hearing Friday.
