A current church and a former church in South Boston were vandalized overnight in separate incidents, police said Thursday.
A 61-year-old man is accused of throwing a rock through a window at the St. Monica Parish, breaking in around 3:45 a.m.
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Officers would find the man, later identified as Steven Cyr, sleeping in the basement.
Father William Kennedy says there is a growing problem with alcohol, drugs, and people often sleeping outside the church.
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"We're starting to find syringes on the property, which is a safety issue for people who are just cutting through," said the pastor. "I'm very concerned about that."
This wasn't the only church building broken into overnight in the neighborhood.
Police say two South Boston men burglarized the former St. Vincent's Church.
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Michael Donovan and Brendan Delaney are accused of stealing copper wire from the deconsecrated building just before midnight.
Police found the men with bags of tools and numerous pieces of copper.
"If you have to break into a church, then you need to go get help," said neighborhood resident Anna Williams.
