Vandalism of a Church – Successful Community Collab with P.O.P. Investigators Brings Revelation
Photo: Michael Dudek
JURUPA VALLEY – Breaking News: Destruction in a local church set the community on its edge – stained glass windows shattered, statues demolished, and so on. The ravaged Sacred Heart Catholic Church was heart-breakingly discovered on May 6th.
Who in Heaven’s name could have done this? The alarming question spurred multiple proactive moves, starting with an immediate response at 11:05 PM to the 9930 block of Mission Boulevard.
First, the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department Deputy assigned to the Jurupa Valley Station arrived on scene to discover extensive vandalism. The ruin included numerous damaged and broken stained-glass windows and religious statues.
Next, Jurupa Valley Sheriff’s Station Problem Oriented Policing Team (POP) Deputies launched the investigation. Also, “a press article in a local newspaper was written documenting the incident,” said Sergeant Armendariz, “in which the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department confirmed there was an active investigation.”
Then, a video appeared from a local community citizen – providing video surveillance capturing imagery of a suspect in action. Due to this contribution, Deputies successfully ID’d the male subject from past contacts.
With proof of the man in the commission of this crime, POP set their sites on locating the perpetrator. “On May 12, 2021, POP Deputies located Michael Dudek in an abandoned residence in the city of Jurupa Valley, where he was arrested,” said Sgt. Armendariz.
Thanks to a well-played community collaboration with law enforcement, the thirty-year-old Jurupa Valley transient was taken into custody for Felony Vandalism, and booked into the Robert Presley Detention Center.
Anyone with further information about this incident and ongoing investigation into case #JV211260193 is encouraged to give a call to Deputies Gonzalez and Fisk at the Jurupa Valley Station, 951-955-2600.
