Vandalism in Christian places of worship has been prominent and still is an ongoing dilemma. Different cases, different motives, and sometimes the same people commit such crimes repeatedly.
Juan Velez, a notorious serial vandal, has been arrested again for his alleged actions. This time, he was caught on surveillance camera smiling, throwing a rock at a Lutheran church in Queens.
Velez, 29 years old; despite being freed on supervised release, Velez continues to wreak havoc on the city, leading to his latest arrest.
Smiling Vandal Bailed and Will Undergo Psychiatric Exam
According to US Time Today, after being released in November due to the state's non-cash bail laws, Velez is back in the headlines for allegedly committing another crime. Just two months prior, he was facing charges for 15 felonies, including the notorious St. Patrick's incident where he was accused of throwing a wrench through the glass door of Cardinal Timothy Dolan's residence.
This behavior follows a pattern of destructive behavior, as he has previously been involved in a disturbingly dangerous incident where he dropped a glass bottle from the second floor of the Columbus Circle shops onto unsuspecting pedestrians below.
In the report of the New York Post, Velez has been arrested again, and this time, Judge Marty Lentz has set a high bar for his release, requiring either a $50,000 cash bail or a $150,000 bond. In addition, Velez will also have to undergo a psychiatric exam as ordered by the records.
The arrest came a week after Velez was caught on video allegedly launching a rock at a Forest Hills church in broad daylight, smiling at the surveillance camera as he did so. He made two attempts; his first try failed to shatter the glass.
Despite the criticism faced by the decision to release Velez earlier, Hernandez argued that the highest level of supervised release is the least restrictive way to ensure Velez's return to court. However, this has not stopped law enforcement sources from speaking out against the decision, with one critic stating, "if you can do this to the cardinal's house, I guess nothing's off limits."
Vandalism: a Dilemma People in Faith Must Be Cautious Of
Vandalism and destruction of places of worship are ordinary but interesting because of the vandals' different motives. In a similar story in Christianity Daily, following the vandalism at St. Michael's Church in Mahim, the priest, Father Lancy Pinto, has taken action to ensure the church's and its congregation's safety.
The church committee has been holding meetings to determine the necessary steps. The priest has made three demands to the local police: increased patrols in the area, action against drug addiction, and increased vigilance during the weekly Wednesday market.
According to Hindustan Times, the church also provided special training to its in-house security team. It equipped them with walkie-talkies to improve communication and response times to future incidents. The priest received support from the police, who caught the person responsible for the vandalism within a day. He now hopes to promote community involvement by encouraging citizens to be vigilant and report suspicious activities to the police.
Despite the unfortunate incident, the church plans to repair the damage done to the graves and move forward. Other priests from nearby churches have also visited St. Michael's to learn more about the incident and improve security measures in their churches.
Related Article: St. Michael's Church in Mahim Enhances Security Measures Following Vandalism Incident
