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WEST JORDAN — Residents in Midvale, Sandy and West Jordan can breathe a sigh of relief after police catch the so-called “Rock Bandits.”
The group had been vandalizing LDS Churches and cars in the three cities for nearly three weeks. The group's M.O.: throwing rocks through windows. Police said altogether, 11 LDS chapels and nearly 50 cars were hit.
Resident Jeff Rollman was one of their victims. His car was parked along 1095 West in West Jordan.
“I came out, noticed that the back window was broken first. Then walked around and saw that they got the driver’s side as well,” he said. “I called it into police and found out that I was just one of many."
Rollman has since replaced his windows. But he still keeps the two rocks the vandals used just as a reminder.
“This whole incident has made me want to get security cameras,” he said.
LDS Bishop David Barrus said his stake center along 1300 West in West Jordan was also hit.
“They just threw the rock right into the glass door,” he said. “The glass was everywhere and the rock was inside the building.”
A glass door at his neighborhood’s ward building just a few blocks away along 1095 West was also targeted.
“We noticed it on Sunday and just thought, 'Why would anyone do this?'" Barrus said.
The glass has since been replaced, but Barrus said it was hard for his community to forget what happened.
“It just makes us sad that someone targets specifically our church,” he said.
Unified Police Department said four people, including juveniles, were arrested over the weekend in connection with the crimes. They are working with both the Sandy and West Jordan Police Departments on potentially bringing charges. Police have not yet released information regarding a possible motive or the identities of those involved.
