Vandals Light Candles After Breaking Into Ayer Church: Police

AYER, MA – Police are searching for vandals who broke into a church and left the shrine's candles lit Wednesday morning. Officers arrived at the Saint Andrews Church on Faulkner Street in Ayer shortly after 10:30 a.m. and found the front door forced open and several items thrown around.

The vandals lit all of the candles on a church shrine, police said. The candles were still burning when officers arrived.

"When a place of worship is victimized, it's a disturbing event not only for the parishioners, but also for the community as a whole because of their close connections to the neighborhoods they are in," Ayer police said in a statement.

Anyone with information is asked to send Ayer police a message on Facebook or call Det. Barhight at 978-772-8200 ext. 507.