An Orem man who allegedly smashed windows at the Provo Temple reportedly told police that Jesus directed him to go there.
Provo police say they received a report Tuesday at 3:34 p.m. that a man had used a hammer to break the front-door windows at the temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at 2200 Temple Hill Drive, then drove away. According to a probable cause statement, a temple maintenance worker estimated the damage to the windows at $1,500 to $1,800.
Security camera footage showed the vehicle and part of the plate, which a police officer used to identify the suspect.
When the officer arrived at the suspect’s home, he found the 30-year-old man’s car and saw toolboxes inside and a “plainly visible ... hammer,” according to the probable cause statement. The officer then took him into custody.
“When asked if his vehicle was at the temple,” according to the officer, “[the man] said something to the effect of ‘If it was, Christ told them to go there.’”
The suspect declined to answer any more questions. The suspect was booked into the Utah County jail for investigation of third-degree felony property damage/destruction. His bail was set at $2,500.
The Salt Lake Tribune generally does not name suspects unless they have been formally charged with a crime.
(The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) The current Provo temple, left, and a rendering of the reconstruction.
The Provo Temple, with its Space Age design, was dedicated in 1972. It is scheduled to close Feb. 24 and be rebuilt with a more traditional look for Latter-day Saint temples. Utah is home to 28 existing or planned temples.