(WAUKEGAN) Police are stepping up patrols near religious venues in north suburban Waukegan after four churches were burglarized and vandalized in the last week.
One or more people have broken into and taken “any items of value they could get their hands on,” including electronics and gold cups, Waukegan police Cmdr. Joe Florip said.
The burglars also broke windows and set off fire extinguishers.
“It’s above the ransacking stage, just more vandalism and destruction than you would expect in a ransacking,” Florip said.
Damage was first discovered the morning of March 23 at a Catholic church, Most Blessed Trinity Parish in the 400 block of Keller Avenue.
The other burglaries were discovered Monday at the Rehoboth Church of God & Christ in the 1000 block of Indiana Avenue; the Living Faith United Methodist Church in the 400 block of North McAree Road; and Saint John’s United Church in the 1500 block of North McAree Road, police said.
Waukegan police ask residents “take an extra look at any place of worship in their travels,” police said. Anyone with information should call (847) 360-9001 or dial 911.
