“I’m a little frustrated. It makes me question whether they’re taking it seriously,” McDowell said.
Montana Network Television News said it reached out to Billings Police Department about the incident on Jan. 25. Soon after, the department responded and sent out officers to complete the investigation, the network reported. Lt. Matt Lennick of the department took the blame for the delay in responding to the case, citing an error in how the paperwork was filed.
“As far as this case being connected to the other church burglaries and vandalisms in the last couple weeks, it still (is) to be determined,” Lennick told MTN News. “Much of the vandalism is similar in nature, so it could be connected, but each case has received a fair amount of social media attention as well. So there is always the possibility for copycat incidents.”
On Jan. 26, after seeing news coverage of the vandalism at St. Patrick’s, a “Good Samaritan” found the missing statues of Mary and Joseph in her apartment building’s fire escape and contacted MTN News, the outlet reported.
“Hello! I have some good news; I have Mary and Joseph!” the anonymous woman wrote in an email to the station. Joseph’s head was decapitated, but the woman said she tried gluing it back on. Despite her efforts, McDowell said the statues will all most likely have to be replaced.
He also expressed hope that the baby Jesus statue, which is still missing, will be found.
“I am hopeful that someone will run across it may be hearing the story tonight,” he told MTN News Jan. 26.
“We don’t have widespread cameras [on the church property right now], but that might be changing before too long,” he added.
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