Police: Windows Broken at Historic Virginia Church

NORFOLK, Va. — Police in Virginia are investigating a burglary and vandalism at a historic church.

Norfolk Police issued a news release saying the vandalism was discovered Saturday morning at Saint Paul's Episcopal Church downtown. Officers observed several shattered windows and saw that a room in a church building had been vandalized. They also smelled gas coming from inside, and firefighters turned off the gas leak.

Police said Saturday that they weren't aware of other houses of worship affected.

The Virginian-Pilot reports that a reporter noted several broken windows at the parish house and what appeared to be damage to a room inside that building. The reporter also saw what appeared to be damage to a window of the church itself.

The current church building was erected in 1739 but was rebuilt after damage during the Revolutionary War.

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