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Glendale News Press
Armenian church vandalized
Glendale man allegedly smashed a monument at St. Mary's with a sledgehammer.
By Veronica Rocha, [email protected]
August 12, 2010
SOUTH GLENDALE - A 23-year-old Glendale man who allegedly used a
sledgehammer to smash a sacred monument outside St. Mary's Armenian
Apostolic Church could face felony vandalism charges, police said.
Victor Petrescu was arrested about 10 a.m. Tuesday after he was seen
using a sledgehammer to break off pieces from the church's monument on
the 500 block of South Central Avenue, causing roughly $80,000 in
damage, Glendale Police Sgt. Tom Lorenz said.
Petrescu told police he was Jewish, and that "it said in the Bible he
must destroy sacred pillars," Lorenz said.
The act was not a hate crime because Lorenz said detectives have
questioned his mental stability.
Petrescu on Wednesday allegedly changed his initial story, telling
police that he was Christian, Lorenz said.
Church staff and congregants saw Petrescu and tried stopping him, but
he didn't answer as he raised the sledgehammer and cracked the
monument, the Rev. Ardak Demirjian said.
When they called out to him, Petrescu reportedly turned and showed
them his sledgehammer, so they backed away, Demirjian added.
The monument was donated to the church more than 10 years ago and
commemorates the day 1,700 years ago that Armenians adopted
Christianity, he said.
Church officials are still trying to determine how they will repair
the monument since its one piece of stone with intricate carvings,
Demirjian said.
"Any vandalism caused to something is sad for all the people, all
nations and all religions," he said. "If he is not normal, we pray for
him."
Petrescu listed the Bible and "Jerusalem in Prophecy" as his books of
interest on his MySpace page.
Detectives were slated to present evidence of alleged vandalism today
to prosecutors, who will decide whether to file charges.
"It would be very nice to get this guy off the streets and put him
away," Lorenz said.
If Petrescu is charged, he will likely be arraigned by Friday.
From: A. Papazian
Glendale News Press
Armenian church vandalized
Glendale man allegedly smashed a monument at St. Mary's with a sledgehammer.
By Veronica Rocha, [email protected]
August 12, 2010
SOUTH GLENDALE - A 23-year-old Glendale man who allegedly used a
sledgehammer to smash a sacred monument outside St. Mary's Armenian
Apostolic Church could face felony vandalism charges, police said.
Victor Petrescu was arrested about 10 a.m. Tuesday after he was seen
using a sledgehammer to break off pieces from the church's monument on
the 500 block of South Central Avenue, causing roughly $80,000 in
damage, Glendale Police Sgt. Tom Lorenz said.
Petrescu told police he was Jewish, and that "it said in the Bible he
must destroy sacred pillars," Lorenz said.
The act was not a hate crime because Lorenz said detectives have
questioned his mental stability.
Petrescu on Wednesday allegedly changed his initial story, telling
police that he was Christian, Lorenz said.
Church staff and congregants saw Petrescu and tried stopping him, but
he didn't answer as he raised the sledgehammer and cracked the
monument, the Rev. Ardak Demirjian said.
When they called out to him, Petrescu reportedly turned and showed
them his sledgehammer, so they backed away, Demirjian added.
The monument was donated to the church more than 10 years ago and
commemorates the day 1,700 years ago that Armenians adopted
Christianity, he said.
Church officials are still trying to determine how they will repair
the monument since its one piece of stone with intricate carvings,
Demirjian said.
"Any vandalism caused to something is sad for all the people, all
nations and all religions," he said. "If he is not normal, we pray for
him."
Petrescu listed the Bible and "Jerusalem in Prophecy" as his books of
interest on his MySpace page.
Detectives were slated to present evidence of alleged vandalism today
to prosecutors, who will decide whether to file charges.
"It would be very nice to get this guy off the streets and put him
away," Lorenz said.
If Petrescu is charged, he will likely be arraigned by Friday.
From: A. Papazian