The community of Pine Lake is shocked over the “terrible” vandalism committed to the venerable Holy Trinity Church – crimes of extensive destruction to the historic interior that included the chilling chalkboard message, “The devil was here”.
“They came in three times over a two-week period and it escalated every time,” said Carol Clutton, church treasurer. “They seemed to light fires every time they came. It was terrible.”
Innisfail RCMP confirmed there were three separate break-ins at the church between Feb. 23 and March 9, with each incident producing escalating destruction.
“It is a wreck now because the third time they went in they smashed out a significant portion of the stained glass windows,” said Innisfail RCMP Cpl. Jeff Hildebrandt, adding that two suspects have been arrested with another three being pursued. “There is serious, serious damage. We are talking about between $25,000 and $30,000 damage.”
The Holy Trinity Church, 40 kilometres east of Innisfail, was constructed in 1902 and was registered as a historic resource by the province in 1987.
The one-storey structure, with its Carpenter Gothic design and extensive exterior detailing that includes a low pitch gable roof and stained glass windows, is located on a hilltop overlooking Pine Lake and is considered a cherished landmark for the region. The church is still used for services twice a month, as well as for weddings and funerals.
Hildebrandt said the first incident occurred on Feb. 23. He said vandals broke into the church and smashed glass and damaged drywall.
He said the destruction continued and escalated on March 8.
“They turned on the heat and left it on full blast and lit candles and left them burning. They wrote, ‘The devil was here', on the chalkboard,” said Hildebrandt.
He said the vandals damaged furniture, broke fluorescent lights, created more holes in the walls, smeared grease and glue on walls, glued the refrigerator shut as well as the building's toilet seats, and burned pictures on the walls, including a valuable custom-made painting of the church.
The following night the vandals broke into the church again but this time the damage was far worse, said Hildebrandt.
He said the vandals broke several century-old, irreplaceable stained glass windows, tossed red paint on the walls, splashed white paint onto furniture, smeared feces onto the walls, clogged up toilets and deliberately flooded the church, and broke more lights and toilet covers.
“In the first and second incident we are probably under $5,000 damage. But the last time was a major one,” said Hildebrandt. “When we arrested them they were leaving the area on foot and they had the same red paint that was in the church all over them.
“Neither one of them has any previous experience with police or are known to police. No criminal records, no nothing,” he added. “This is kind of unusual in the scope and extent of damage being so aggravating and yet our suspects don't really have a background.”
Hildebrandt said RCMP are also pursuing three other suspects in connection to all three vandalism incidents at the church.
“There is considerable physical evidence in the investigation to process through,” he said. “We have those two suspects arrested and charged and processed for court already and our investigation is continuing into multiple other suspects.”
Reid Johnston, 18, of the Sylvan Lake area, has been charged with break and enter with intent and mischief over $5,000. He will make his first court appearance in Red Deer provincial court on April 30. The 17-year-old youth, who is facing similar charges, will make his first appearance in Red Deer youth court on May 1.
