Cape Coral church vandals sought

Cape Coral police are looking for suspects who broke into vehicles and vandalized a church over the weekend.

Surveillance video shows three people around 2:20 a.m. Sunday. Police said they can’t show photos of the damage due to the graphic language spraypainted on the walls at Gulf Coast Baptist Church, located at 312 SE 24th Ave., south of Hancock Bridge Parkway.

Police said the suspects also broke computers and poured liquids and food on the floor, walls and ceilings.

The damage was extensive, according to the CCPD.

Church members are heartbroken that someone would do this, and they’re just hoping the people involved come forward.

“When I actually saw the damage for myself, it was… it was really emotional,” said Sarah McCormick.

Some of the damage included vulgar language on the walls of the children’s wing, tables and chairs kicked over, and TVs and computer monitors destroyed.

“It was one of those moments where your jaw just drops,” McCormick said. “To see that they actually could do these things inside the children’s church, and draw some of the things that were on the wall, it’s kind of the epitome of evil.”

Church members spent Monday cleaning up what they could.

“We’re heartsick over it and there’s thousands and thousands of dollars worth of damages,” said Pastor Tom Sexton.

“It’s hard to believe that they managed to do as much damage as they did in a short time that they did.”

Sexton said he’s still scratching his head as to why anyone would do this, but he believes the church’s new ministry called “Stand with the Blue,” which was to debut Monday, could be a reason. Regardless, he and his church members say they’re hoping the suspects get caught, but not for the reason you think.

“I want them to be found before they’re able to get themselves in even more trouble and potentially end up in a far worse situation than they will be once this whole thing is found out,” McCormick said.

The Cape Coral Police Department said they aren’t sure how many people were involved in the burglary, but at least three were caught on the surveillance video and Sexton believes more may have been involved.

Anyone with information on the identity of the suspects is asked to contact the Cape Coral Police Department by calling 239-574-3223, submitting an anonymous tip at www.capecops.com/tips, https://new.tipsubmit.com/en/create-report/anonymous, sending a message through CCPD’s social media platforms or by calling Crime Stoppers at 1-800-780-TIPS. Use the Case Report # 20-19390.