A man has been charged with the arson of a church in Broadalbin, New York.
A fire broke out around 12:45 on Tuesday, 16th July at Broadalbin First Presbyterian Church, West Main Street.
Responders extinguished the fire, which had been started with “incendiary devices”, before returning hours later after reports of more damage at the front door.
West Main Street was shut down for part of the afternoon.
The blaze resulted in minor damage to the floor area, a rug and vinyl siding and the front doors. No injuries were reported.
The following day, a cinder block was thrown through a window at the Broadalbin Baptist church.
On Thursday, the door of St. Joseph’s church was also burnt.
The incidents were among five acts of vandalism occurring in Broadalbin this week, including a pile of tires set ablaze on a utility pole, and railway tracks damaged.
If a place of worship is the target of vandalism, the FBI must be informed. Fulton County Sheriff Richard C Giardino told News 10 that residents should be vigilant of “copycat” attacks in places of worship.