Church burglarized - "nothing left to take."

The video available from the news website is worth watching.

LA MESA, Calif. (10News) - A La Mesa church has been the target of multiple thefts and vandalism the last few weeks, and police said they may know who is responsible, 10News reported.

The Ukrainian Catholic Church has been broken into four times in less than a month. Church leaders have started putting up signs that are letting people know there's nothing left to take.

"It's very disturbing to know that this space has been violated by somebody who I believe has hatred of some sort," said Father James Bankston.

Bankston said the most recent attack happened on Tuesday when he found the church doors left open and bizarre signs that someone had been in the building.

"Hand lotion in a bottle had been put on the altar. Other things had been turned over, and the Holy Eucharist had been spilled upon the altar," said Bankston.


Bankston also said a hand cross was turned upside down, something he believed was a direct attack on his faith.

Church leaders said they believe the people responsible are homeless and either walk down a nearby trail or come from the park across the street to attack the facility.

10News contacted the La Mesa Police Department, who said they have seen a spike in the number of homeless encampments popping up around the city, especially in areas around the church.

The vandalism and stolen property have cost the church about $5,000, an expense church leaders said it simply isn't equipped to cover.

"Donations are down. You know, we have a small community here and so it hurts," said Bankston.

No arrests have been made in connection with the thefts and vandalism, but police said they are keeping a close watch on the property.

10News learned the church will be installing a security system donated by a parishioner.