WIS News 10 - Columbia, South Carolina | Cameras catch vandals at Strawberry Chapel

Cameras catch vandals at Strawberry Chapel

BERKELEY COUNTY, SC (WCSC) - Surveillance video caught a historic chapel being vandalized. Again.

The video initially shows two men forcefully trying to pry open a window to get inside the 284-year-old Strawberry Chapel, located about 12 miles south of Moncks Corner near Cordesville.

The chapel was vandalized in March and it was surveillance video that helped investigators catch the suspects.

"Man, they're putting pressure on that door," said Dan Moon, a spokesman for the Berkeley County Sheriff's Office, when he was showing the video.

Moon can't believe it happened again.

The video shows two guys hanging from the chain that locks the window, then they try to get it open. Because that doesn't work, minutes later they move to the main door and one of the suspects climbs it.

Investigators think because the old historic building is isolated, it makes it a perfect target for people.

"The actual acts of vandalism are what we're concerned about," Moon said. "Either they didn't realize there was a surveillance camera or they just didn't give a darn, just didn't care."

The camera and lights are pretty hard to miss, but that didn't stop them.

One of the guys gets a boost from his friend, and once he has access to the window, he manages to rip apart one of the shutters.

At the site, the owners have come in and covered much of the damage with plywood, but you can still see some of the footprints left behind by the vandals as they were trying to get in through the window. They finally broke in and left plenty of glass on the grass.

And just as fast as they got in, they snuck back out and took off.

"We are all fed up with the ongoing vandalism at Strawberry Chapel," said Dr. Robert Ball, who has close ties to the chapel. His ancestors are buried there.

Ball said it's sickening these people would desecrate a church.

"How would you feel if this were your church, your home, your business? These vicious vandals must be stopped," he said.

Deputies are looking for three males and two females. If you have any information, call Crime Stoppers at 1-888-CRIME-SC.

Posted by Bryce Mursch