Saddle Brook police officers are investigating a break-in at a local church over the recent Christmas weekend.

According to law enforcement, multiple suspects likely burglarized the St. Philip the Apostle Church on Saddle River Road in Saddle Brook, NJ. The break-in occurred on Christmas Day, with priests and parishioners only discovering the break-in the following morning when they arrived for mass on 7:00 a.m. Visitors saw that a stained glass window was broken by the burglars. It is believed by authorities that the suspects gained entry to the church by breaking the window frame, which is located near the altar of the church.

The Saddle Brook Police Department learned about the break-in and sent to the scene. Saddle Brook detectives and members of the Bergen County Sheriff’s Bureau of Criminal Identification conducted an investigation into the incident and determined that the suspects committed theft offenses once they were inside the building.

According to officials, the suspects broke open two donation boxes for the St. Vincent de Paul Society and stole cash. The St. Vincent de Paul Society is an anti-poverty group that helps poor members of the congregation to cover their monthly expenses. Fortunately, there was very little money in the donation boxes when the theft occurred because church officials usually remove the money as soon as mass is over.

To learn more about this case, check out the NJ.com article, “Christmas Break-In Hits Church Donation Boxes.”