NORTH FORK — Once again, the Grace Community Church has been the victim of damage done by someone who has not been identified.
Last Thursday, July 14, somebody backed a pickup into the front of the church, damaging the front entryway, and possibly causing structural damage. They then left the scene, leaving the church community with yet another major expense to deal with.
Some time between 11 and 11:30 a.m., Chris Stanley and her sister Gerri Curtiss were in the parking lot at the church preparing to leave the thrift store, when they saw the incident happen.
According to the women, a man they estimate to be between 30 and 40 years of age, and 5′ 10″ to 6′ tall, had his black pickup pulled up to the Thrift Store entrance at Grace Hall. They assumed he was dropping off items due to the way he was parked, but that cannot be verified with workers in the thrift store.
Damage to front porch wall of Grace Community Church – photo by Don Grove
The man then came out and got into his truck, backed up and cut the wheel to turn facing Road 200, and hit the front of the church building. The women say he then got out and went around to the back of his truck to look at the damage, then got back in his pickup and left.
The women were unaware that the church building itself had been damaged, and thought he was just looking at the back of his pickup. They were pulling out of the parking lot at that time, and didn’t get a license number, but described the driver as “husky but not fat, with light brown hair.” They say the pickup was black, and don’t think it was a crew cab.
Though the damage may appear minor, this wall holds up a portion of the second floor of the building. Until the structure can be assessed, it is unknown the extent of the damage, and the costs to repair it.
The criminals also opened the freezer to see what they might steal from there, and finding nothing they wanted, left the freezer door standing open, and left through the front door of the Hall.
This latest assault to their budget and spirit will cost at least the $1,000 deductible required by their insurance company.
“This comes at a time when a $1,000 hit puts our budget in serious jeopardy,” says Don Grove.
Along with theft and vandalism, the church has suffered other bizarre crimes over the past few years. In August, a toy hauler that was stolen out of Sacramento was left on the church property, and the owner had to be notified to come and retrieve it. In September, someone left a dead dog wrapped in a blanket on the premises.
In December, someone cut all the locks on the storage unit where the church keeps items to send down to the Salvation Army in Fresno. The items had already been sent down the hill, so the thieves didn’t get away with anything, they just succeeded in committing another act of vandalism.
On more than one occasion, someone has ripped open the bags outside on the back porch and scattered stuff all around, leaving yet another huge mess for parishioners to be greeted by and have to clean up.
Church members had also planted a tree in memory of Rowena Kratzer, surrounded by a little fence. Someone backed into it, and broke the fence and the memorial sign that had been placed there.
Grace Community Church is well-known for their outreach in the North Fork Community, providing food or clothing for anyone who needs it, hosting community dinners, supporting humanitarian projects and working with other churches in the area putting together Thanksgiving and Christmas baskets for needy families. The rash of criminal activity on the property is very discouraging to those who work so hard to help those who are in need.
Anyone with information is urged to contact the Madera County Sheriff’s Office at 559-675-7770.
