Arrests Made In $60K Lake Elsinore Church Vandalism Case

LAKE ELSINORE (CBSLA.com)  —  Three underage suspects have been arrested for the vandalism that did about $60,000 damage to First Lutheran Church in Lake Elsinore, authorities said.

The story of the vandalism was reported Thursday Only On 2.

In that report, CBS2's Tom Wait showed church surveillance video which showed three young adults throwing rocks through windows sometime during the nighttime hours of Monday, June 1. At one point, the youth are seen putting a water hose through a window. The water was left on -- on full blast -- for ten hours. An estimated 2,000 gallons of water flowed through hallways, rooms and the main sanctuary.

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Damage to the floors of the First Lutheran Church, located in the 600 block of Sumner Avenue, was extensive.

Lake Elsinore Station officers identified and apprehended three juveniles linked to the vandalism on Friday.

This act of vandalism is believed to be random and committed by neighborhood juveniles, and is not believed to be motivated solely by hate, police said.

The names of the juveniles are not being released due to their ages.

The Lake Elsinore Sherrif's station thanked the media for the coverage and the public for calling in several phone tips.

Lake Elsinore Police detectives are continuing their investigation and are actively seeking out witnesses to the crime.

Anyone with information about this vandalism is asked  to call the Lake Elsinore Police Department at (951) 245-3300.