FONTANA -A fire alarm set off at 2:41 November 1st by a transient burglarizing and vandalizing the Upland Indonesian Seventh Day Adventist Church at the 11100 block of Cedar Avenue in Bloomington drew an immediate fire department response.
Officials announced last night that Sheriff deputies arriving on-scene were advised that fire department personnel had heard someone inside the building. Deputies began systematically clearing the building.
In an apparent attempt to evade deputies, the subject, later identified as Abel Pelayo (35) a San Bernardino transient, had used his fists to beat a hole in a wall that led from the interior of the building to the exterior of the building during his destructive rampage.
Pelayo exited the building on the second story and was contacted by deputies while on the roof. When Pelayo refused verbal commands from the deputies to come off of the roof and raised his fist in an aggressive manner challenging the deputies to fight, Fontana and Rialto police officers took the suspect into custody for burglary, felony vandalism, and felony resisting arrest.
Further investigation by deputies determined that Pelayo broke into the church, vandalized and ransacked the interior, and caused extensive damage by breaking cabinets, appliances, and damaging several walls.
Case No. 031703051 is ongoing. If anyone has witnessed the incident or can provide additional information, please contact the San Bernardino Sheriff Department Fontana Sheriff’s Station, 909-356-6767. Callers wishing to remain anonymous may contact the We-Tip Hotline at 1-800-78-CRIME (27463) or you may leave information on the We-Tip website at www.wetip.com.
