The NYPD is reaching out to the community for assistance in identifying an individual who committed theft and vandalism at a Queens church over the weekend. Authorities are looking into the incident as a potential hate crime.
According to reports, the suspect entered St. Anastasia Catholic Church in Douglaston around 11:45 a.m. on Saturday. The individual allegedly contaminated the baptismal font, a sacred basin used for holy water, by pouring a drink into it.
Following this act of desecration, the perpetrator reportedly stole an unspecified sum of money from the donation box and removed a cloth from the altar, as stated by the police.
After committing the theft, the suspect fled the scene, leaving no trace of their whereabouts.
Fortunately, no one was harmed during the incident.
The suspect was described as wearing a blue hat, a light-colored sweatshirt, a black jacket, dark pants, dark sneakers, and carrying a backpack at the time of the crime.
The NYPD’s Hate Crime Task Force is investigating.
The department has asked anyone with information about the incident to call its Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers website at on X @NYPDTips.
