Maywood church robbed and vandalized

MAYWOOD, Ill. (WLS) -- A church in west suburban Maywood was vandalized early Friday morning.

"Look at this, all property of God's house," said Pastor Emanuel Little.

It appears someone tried to desecrate the Salem Tabernacle Church. Police said equipment was stolen from the church in the 1100 block of South 6th Avenue. The building was also damaged.

"This is all our editing equipment that, apparently, they slammed down from the top of the balcony," Pastor Little said.

Pastor Little said his church was broken into between 1 and 5 a.m. Friday morning. He arrived in the morning to find windows and the front door shattered.

"I came inside and literally just almost collapsed," he said.

The house he'd built over almost 40 years had taken a beating overnight. Pieces of the drum set were scattered.

"They broke it trying to get this out. They just destroyed it, basically," Little said.

Police said graffiti was spray-painted in the basement as well.

"'There is no God but Allah'-just trashed the place," he said. "And then the walls, 'Allah akbar.'"

Every wall in the church's basement was covered in graffiti using Allah, the Muslim word for God.

The pastor said the piano and camera equipment were also stolen.

Police came to collect evidence, but Pastor Little is at a loss.

"The way they did the church. I mean, the stuff they stole is replaceable, but to desecrate God's house like they did without any remorse. Obviously they don't know God because this is not my house, this is God's house," he said.

Maywood police are investigating. No one is in custody.