Police in St. Clair investigate what they're calling a 'strange' church arson

ST. CLAIR, Mich. (WXYZ) — St. Clair Police Chief Timothy Raker said it's one of the strangest crimes he's seen.

Early Tuesday morning, a male suspect broke into St. Mary's Church on North 6th Street through a side door. The man didn't take anything from the church other than a crucifix, but police said he set fire to two altars – the larger main altar and a small altar off to the side.

Investigators think the man used a lighter he brought with him. They’re still trying to figure out why he did this.

“The damage he could have committed in there, but just chose to burn the altars, I don’t know," Chief Raker said.

Based on how specific the suspect was in where he started the fires, police think this could be a hate crime.

The damage is leaving the parish’s 1,200 members without their regular place of worship, and it’s leaving one of the church’s long-time ushers without the goodbye he always wanted.

Mike Pastiva was an usher at St. Mary's for 31 years. He passed away this week, and it was part of his last wishes to have a memorial at the church he loved so much.

“He was very proud to be an usher," said his wife of 62 years, Janet Pastiva. "He liked getting dressed every Sunday morning in his best."

Now, because of this arson, that memorial won’t happen the way Mike always wanted.

"It broke my heart that he couldn’t be able to have his proper goodbye to his parish," Janet told 7 Action News.

The damage is expected to take at least a month to repair, according to a church spokesperson who said the flames were several feet in the air.

Due to the extensive damage, for now, daily mass will be held inside the gym at St. Mary’s school.

The church is offering up a $1,000 reward for any information that leads to the suspect’s arrest.

Anyone with information should contact the St. Clair Police Department at 810-987-6688 or text TIP to 274637.