Sherman Oaks church vandalized multiple times

LOS ANGELES - Police are investigating after a church in Sherman Oaks was vandalized four times in the past two months. 

The incidents occurred at St. Francis De Sales Church on Valleyheart Dr.

The first incident happened on August 7 when someone threw yellow paint on the statue then attempted to set it on fire. 

On September 20, the church said someone painted the word ‘chomo’ on the statue, which is prison slang for child molestation. 

That prompted the LAPD to start investigating this as a possible hate crime. 

A week later, on the 28th, the statue was vandalized yet again.

The fourth incident of vandalism took place last month, when someone tried to light fire to the rectory window while Father Mike Wakefield was asleep inside. He said fortunately, the window fell outward and the fire burned out.

He said all of this has been demoralizing. 

"It's frustrating and unsettling to have the statue of the patron saint of the parish vandalized with paint three different times because the statue represents the Holy One, St. Francis De Sales, and who is also the patron of the parish. So in a sense, it's also an assault on the parishioners of this parish," Father Wakefield said. 

According to the Conference of Catholic Bishops, there have been at least 349 incidents that have occurred in 43 states and the District of Columbia since May 2020 against Catholic churches, including arson, statues being beheaded, limbs cut, smashed and painted, and gravestones defaced. 

Father Wakefield plans to add security and possibly cameras to deter future vandalism. 

No suspect description was given, but anyone with information is urged to call LAPD.