Idaho Church Suffers Thousands in Damage After Vandal Leaves Racist Messages
Police investigate extensive destruction at a Pocatello church, where worship equipment and high school instruments were damaged.
NEWS
Glorious Grace
10/22/20262 min read
An Idaho church sustained an estimated $10,000 in property damage after a vandal entered its building, destroyed worship equipment, and left racist messages behind, prompting a police investigation.
The destruction occurred Monday, Oct. 19, at Calvary Chapel in Pocatello, where someone entered the building between 3 and 5 p.m., according to an Oct. 20 report from KIFI Local News 8.
Pastor Nathan Abbate told the station that the church's front doors had accidentally been left unlocked, allowing the intruder to enter. Damage was discovered throughout all three floors of the building.
Several musical instruments belonging to nearby Highland High School were among the damaged property. The school's music program has used space inside the church following a 2023 fire at Highland High School, and some instruments were damaged beyond repair, according to local reporting.
Inside the congregation's worship areas, televisions were smashed, and anointing oil was poured over a soundboard. Other electronic equipment and musical instruments were also damaged, according to statements attributed to Pocatello Police Lt. Akilah Lacey in local reporting published Oct. 21.
The vandal also wrote racist slurs on the sound booth and carpeting, KIFI reported. Police have not established whether racial or religious hostility motivated the incident or whether the destruction was planned or opportunistic.
Additional damage included food scattered throughout several rooms and ice cream dumped onto an upstairs floor after being removed from a freezer.
Pocatello police responded to the church around 7 p.m. Monday, KIFI reported. Lacey confirmed that officers were investigating and working to identify whoever was responsible.
Investigators collected fingerprints from items inside the building. However, the church does not have security cameras, leaving police without surveillance footage from the property, according to the report.
Abbate told KIFI that he could not think of a reason someone would target the congregation or leave racist messages inside the church.
In a Wednesday report, East Idaho News cited Lacey as stating that police and the property owner had preliminarily estimated the damage at approximately $10,000. The figure remains subject to change as the extent of the damage is assessed.
The vandalism also affected Highland High School's music department. School district spokesperson Courtney Fisher acknowledged the damage and the church's assistance to the school following the fire, according to local reporting.
Calvary Chapel maintains a regular schedule of worship services, Bible studies, and youth activities, according to its official website. The congregation also operates a meal-train ministry to assist members facing temporary needs.
No cancellations or changes to the church's activities have been independently confirmed following the incident.
Church officials have asked anyone who witnessed suspicious activity near the property Monday afternoon to contact authorities.
As of Thursday, no arrests or publicly identified suspects have been verified, and investigators have not announced a motive. The investigation remains ongoing.
Anyone with information can contact the Pocatello Police Department at 208-234-6100, according to the city's official website.
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