Door shattered, graffiti and satanic phrases spray-painted on East Meadow church

EAST MEADOW, Long Island (WABC) -- Authorities on Long Island are searching for suspects after a church was vandalized.

It happened at the New Covenant Church on Bellmore Avenue in East Meadow.

Nassau County police say the front glass door was shattered and graffiti was spray painted throughout the exterior walls, doors and steps of the building.

A reddish/brown spray paint was used to write "cursed devil" and "devil witch spells," in addition to multiple upside-down crosses.

Investigators say it happened sometime between Sunday evening and Monday afternoon.

"It's just a coincidence that Sunday morning, my message was on love," Pastor Rob Taormina said. "Love is patient, love is kind. So we're going to be patient, and we're praying for the individuals and believe in God, that God will touch them."

Church workers cleaned the building Tuesday afternoon, trying to remove as much of the graffiti as possible.

"When the detectives were here, they said they think it's kids because number one, they spelled the things wrong," Pastor Rob Taormina said. "It was all satanic symbols and stuff like that, so we're just praying for them."

Nassau County police are investigating the vandalism as a bias incident.

"It's definitely a hate crime," Nassau County police Detective Lieutenant Richard LeBrun said. "And we're considering it a hate crime right now."

There is no surveillance video presently at the church, so there is no description of any suspects. Taormina said they are now strongly considering installing cameras.

"With all the problems in the world, it's just paint on the walls, no one got hurt," he said. "It's fixing a broken window, and we can fix that."

Anyone with information is asked to contact the First Squad at 516-573-7156 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-244-TIPS.