by Tablet Staff

HOWARD BEACH — Police have arrested a suspect in connection with the thefts of several religious statues from residents’ private property in Ozone Park and Howard Beach, it was announced on July 20. 

Howard Beach Lidenwood Civic, a community organization which had raised concerns over the spree of thefts, announced the arrest on its Facebook page. 

“The suspect arrested was a white male, mid to late 30’s, from Ozone Park,” the group posted. 

The spree of thefts of religious statues in Howard Beach and Ozone Park angered and perplexed Catholics in the two communities and led a local councilwoman to call for stricter law enforcement penalties for the crimes.  

“People are concerned. They’re concerned that their faith is under attack,” said Phyllis Inserillo, president of Howard Beach Lindenwood Civic, told The Tablet after the most recent theft. 

RELATED: Spree of Religious Statue Thefts Leave Queens Residents, Officials Shocked

According to the NYPD, there were five thefts of religious statues in the Howard Beach and Ozone Park communities between June 11 and July 13.  

The first incident reported to police was the theft on June 11 of a St. Anthony statue, which stood outside Rockwood Park Chiropractic at 91-17 157th Ave. for more than two decades. The property owner quickly replaced the statue. 

Two weeks later, on June 23, a homeowner reported the theft of two statues — one of the Blessed Mother and another of St. Pedro — from the front of a home near Bristol Avenue and Hawtree Street in Ozone Park. 

Someone struck Ozone Park again the following day, stealing a statue of the Blessed Mother from a property near Bristol Avenue and Centerville Street. 

On July 13, a fifth incident was reported to police in which a thief removed a statue of the Blessed Mother from the front of a house in the vicinity of 159th Avenue and 98th Street.  

The NYPD’s Hate Crime Task Force was notified of all of the incidents, officials said. 

Councilwoman Joann Ariola, who is Catholic, lamented the fact that the law doesn’t appear to have any teeth when it comes to punishments for these types of crimes. “It shouldn’t be a slap on the wrist,” she said. 

 This is a developing story.