Only On 2: Vandals Caught On Tape Do $60K Damage To Lake Elsinore Church

LAKE ELSINORE (CBSLA.com) — Three young vandals can be seen brazenly vandalizing a church in Lake Elsinore.

Their crime was caught on tape.

It's a story that is Only On 2.

The church -- First Lutheran Church -- is located in the 600 block of Sumner.

CBS2's Tom Wait spoke to church officials about moving forward and their plans for fixing the vandalism.

The three unidentified young people are first shown throwing rocks through windows, chucking a coffee can at the building. They then finished off their crime with what Wait called a devastating blow.

They turned on a garden hose, full blast, and placed it inside a window.

At the end of the vandalism, the suspects can be seen doing a celebration dance.

"It's just material things," says Pastor Kevin Kolander, "but this is our church home."

He said he was stunned to see the video.

The water was left on for ten hours. Church officials estimated as many as 2,000 gallons of water flowed through hallways, rooms and the main sanctuary.

The church estimated they suffered more than $60,000 in damages.

"They're going to have to pull the tile up, repaint, new carpet in the sanctuary, all the way up to the chancel," said Kolander. "It's a lot of damage."

Wait reported a security camera was clearly visible where the suspects did much of their damage -- it was unclear, he said, if they didn't see it, or if they just ignored it.

Kolander says services will not be canceled and go on as the repairs are made.

The question remains, why did the vandals do this? Kolander says it left the congregation visibly upset.

"Watching our church family come here," says Kolander, "and seeing their reaction, from the young ones, they're 14 to 16 years old, with tears in their eyes, to the older people, in their 70s and 80s, [also] with tears in their eyes."

The vandals remain at large.