Mill Valley police say a late-night noise call turned into a felony vandalism investigation after officers found a man inside Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Church with damage throughout the sanctuary.
Officers were dispatched around 11:20 PM Tuesday to a reported disturbance near Oakdale and West Blithedale avenues. According to police, they arrived to find an unattended vehicle parked outside the parish with its engine running and loud music blaring. The driver, identified by officers as 29-year-old Newark resident Suhail Khojah Siddiqi, was later located inside the church, arrested at the scene and booked into Marin County Jail.
As reported by KTVU, officers first spotted the empty car in the roadway, then contacted a parish representative who said he had seen someone inside the church and noticed damage. When officers entered the building, they found Siddiqi inside and detained him, the outlet notes. Police allege he “caused significant damage to various items of worship,” according to the department’s statement to reporters.
Parish And The Scene
Our Lady of Mount Carmel sits at 3 Oakdale Avenue at West Blithedale and has served as a Mill Valley parish for more than a century. The church hosts regular Masses and community programs, and its site includes contact details and parish information.
Charges And Next Steps
Police booked Siddiqi on suspicion of burglary, committing a hate crime and vandalizing a place of worship, then transferred him to Marin County Jail, authorities told KTVU. Mill Valley police say the case is still under investigation and will be sent to prosecutors, who will decide whether to file formal charges. Investigators are asking anyone with information or video from the Oakdale and West Blithedale area around the time of the disturbance to contact the department.
What The Law Says
Under California law, vandalizing a church or other place of worship is addressed in Penal Code §594.3. Depending on the circumstances, it can be charged as a misdemeanor or a felony. The statute makes the crime a felony when it is proven to be a hate crime. In addition, Penal Code §422.75 provides enhanced penalties for felony hate crimes. If prosecutors can show that bias was a motivating factor, sentencing exposure and potential penalties increase significantly.
How To Help Investigators
Mill Valley police are asking anyone who witnessed the disturbance or has video from the Oakdale and West Blithedale area to call the department’s non-emergency line at 415-389-4100 or use the reporting options listed online. Contact information and community reporting resources are available on the Mill Valley Police Department’s About page.
Officials say the investigation remains active and the parish community is assessing the scope of the damage and planning next steps. Hoodline will update this story if police or parish leaders release additional information.
