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Bartholomew County church vandalized, set on fire

Posted at 7:25 AM, Jul 10, 2017
and last updated 2017-07-10 19:46:46-04

COLUMBUS, Ind. -- A church in Columbus, Indiana was vandalized and set on fire over the weekend.

The caretaker for the Ohio Chapel United Methodist Church called police Saturday afternoon when they found their church broken into and damaged.

Many of the windows of the church were broken and a basement room was set on fire. The fire extinguished itself before the caretaker found the damage.

In a photo released by the Bartholomew County Sheriff's Department, a table was knocked over and there was broken glass on the floor of the church. A pew in the basement was also heavily burned.

Long-time church member, Christy Ayers, was in disbelief when she saw the damage.

"I couldn't believe that anybody would want to do anything to a church. I mean, you know, we're here to serve the public so why? You know, if you need something why not just contact a member or contact someone in the local community. We're more than willing to help you. Why do this?" said Ayers

If you have any information on the incident, contact Det. Will Kinman at 812-565-5926 or the Sheriff’s Office Tip Line at 812-379-1712.

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