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Police Investigating Acts Of Vandalism At 2 Cherry Hill Churches

CHERRY HILL, NJ (CBS) - Police are investigating two acts of vandalism at separate Catholic churches in Cherry Hill. Both acts involve smashing religious statues.

An 8-foot tall marble Virgin Mary statue outside of Saint Thomas More Catholic Church along the 1400 block of Springdale Road was knocked off its pedestal (pictured, left).  The statue, weighing hundreds of pounds was broken into several pieces.

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The head of a statue was broken off at Queen of Heaven Church. (Credit: Jim Melwert)

Parishioner Mike Curtis points out that the place where the state stood can't be seen from the road, so whoever did it must have known what he or she was doing, "This took a lot of effort. That statue is very very heavy. It's terrible. It shows the mindset of the person. He needs help."

Arriving for morning mass, parishioner Florianna Gilden shook her head as she walked past the pieces, "How anybody could such a stupid act, for what reason?  I don't understand it."

Not far away, a statue of Mary holding Jesus was broken at Queen of Heaven Church on Route 70 at Connecticut Avenue.

Police say the vandalism happened between 5 p.m. Monday and 7 a.m. yesterday.

Investigators hope someone may have seen something, and can give Cherry Hill Detectives a call.

Reported by Jim Melwert, KYW Newsradio 1060

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