ST. MARYS, Pa. — A small historical church in Elk County recently took a big hit.

St. Marys Police Chief Tom Nicklas said the donation box from Decker’s Chapel was vandalized and stolen.

Nicklas said through surveillance cameras, police identified one of the vandals as Breanna Uhl, 25, of Force.

Uhl is facing several charges including institutional vandalism, theft and intentional desecration of a public monument.

Nicklas said charges are pending against a second person.

Decker’s Chapel is a 162-year-old sanctuary maintained by the all-volunteer staff of the Elk County Historical Society.

Historical Society Board President Kurt Hughes said the organization is sad and frustrated someone would target a holy place.

Hughes said the chapel remains as one of the oldest and smallest chapels in America.

“We’d love to have an army of volunteers who were willing to help tend to the chapel, but we’re not going to allow petty thieves prevent us from keeping it open to the public every day,” Hughes said.

Resident of St. Marys Ann Frey said the church hosts a lot of weddings and is sentimental to the town.

“It’s a sad, sad situation when you steal from a church,” Frey said. “That’s about as low as you can go.”

Hughes said they couldn’t determine how much money was inside the donation box.

He encouraged anyone wishing to donate to mail checks directly to the society’s office in Ridgway.

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