LAWRENCE, Kan. — Lawrence Police are still searching for the vandals who sawed off the cross on top of the roof at Lawrence's Indian United Methodist Church.
Police said the vandalism occurred sometime between the night of September 6 and morning of September 7.
What members of the church don’t understand is the motive.
“We’re a small congregation, I mean this is a church, the community knows us,” said Sarah King, a church member.
King said she blames bored kids, saying they could have easily climbed up onto the roof using the benches and chairs that were then stolen from outside of the church.
“They took those and built a like a stepping stool so to speak, crawled up there and then sawed off the cross,” said King.
Despite the attack on her church, King said as a church family, she knows they’ll make it through.
“We’re a family. We’re more than a church, we’re a family,” said King.
After word spread of the vandalism, King said the congregation has been overwhelmed by the community’s support.
“We had an outpour of the community come in donating, making donations for the cross because they had heard about it,” said King.
A fundraiser was held Friday at the church. King said the church was able to collect enough money to raise a new cross at the church this Saturday.
The investigation is ongoing. Lawrence Police have no leads at this time and are encouraging anyone with information to contact Crime Stoppers of Lawrence and Douglas County at (785) 843-TIPS or the Lawrence Police Department at (785) 832-7509.
