BRADENTON, Fla.â€â€Plagued by vandals in recent months, the Sacred Heart Church has installed a surveillance system to ward off, or at least identify, unwelcome visitors to the church's stone grotto, according to The Herald-Tribune.
After two vandalism incidents, church officials began to debate installing a surveillance system. The most recent incident, and the third within four months, clinched their decision. On June 15 an intoxicated woman set fire to a $4,000 candle lighting stand, according to police reports.
Walter Wade, business manager for the church, said after the fire church officials decided to install the $2,000 surveillance system, which includes four cameras around the grotto and monitors inside the church office.
Church officials are asking that the vandal, Shelby Harmon, 20, be sentenced to community service. According to the police report, Harmon stopped at the church hoping to speak with a priest. In addition to destroying the candle stand, she also broke a stained glass window in an attempt to enter the church. Harmon later admitted setting the fire and apologized, police said.
In February, vandals knocked over a praying marble statue in front of the church office, breaking its hands. And in early June, someone defecated in the pool with cascading holy water. Wade said they had to drain the pool and sanitize it.
