23-Year-Old Man Accused Of Breaking Into Churches Said He Did It To 'Get Back At God'
A man who wanted to "get back at God" was arrested for burglarizing three Christian churches and one Hindu temple, news reports say.
Joseph Woznik, a 23-year-old homeless man, is accused of breaking into four houses of worship located in Queens, DNA Info reported. He burglarized the Blessed Virgin Mary Help of Christians (St. Mary's) Church of Winfield in Woodside, St. Mary's Romanian Orthodox Church in Elmhurst, St. James Episcopal Church in Flushing, and the Bangladesh Hindu Mandir Temple in Flushing.
Woznik told police that he burglarized the worship houses because he is "mad" at God, the New York Daily News reported.
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"I don't like church no more, I don't want to deal with religion. I'm sick and tired of hearing about religion," he said. "I don't break into houses, only churches. I break in to get back at God."
Burglary stretch
Woznik's first burglary happened on March 21 at the Hindu temple, where he stole money from three different donation boxes. Mohua Dutta, director of the temple's executive board, said: "We are puzzled by what happened. There was no sign of breakage. We are not sure whether a door was left open."
He then broke into St. James Church not just once, but three times, stealing $1,800 from a lockbox. Days later, he stole a Canon digital camera, leaving behind a ransacked office.
Three days later, he went back again to St. James, this time stealing a checkbook with three checks. That same day, he also broke into St. Mary's of Winfield through an office.
A priest at St. Mary's of Winfield discovered that a window in an office door was broken. He also found the donation box with pry marks and lying on the floor beside a hammer.
Woznik was captured on Tuesday, a day after he broke into St. Mary's Romanian Orthodox Church and stole a gold-plated communion tray. He is charged with burglary and grand larceny as a hate crime, possession of stolen property, and criminal mischief, among others. He is also wanted for a Feb. 26 church burglary in Winter Garden, Fla.
Church responses
Bertea Chesariet, the priest at St. Mary's Romanian Church, expressed surprise over Woznik's motive.
"If he would have prayed, I am sure God would have helped him," he told the New York Post in Romanian, translated by his son, Justin.
Rev. Paul Lai of St. James also expressed his concern for the 23-year-old suspect.
"He needs help," he said. "It's hard to say why he has such hatred against God. ... We don't have anything here now."
