A 13-year-old boy detained in Marion County is accused of vandalizing a church in Silver Springs, causing $10,000 in damage, according to the sheriff’s office.

According to an arrest affidavit, the boy is charged with burglary of a structure, more than $1,000 in damage, and petit theft.

According to the complaint, deputies rushed Sunday to Saint Mary’s Baptist Church on NE 55th Avenue after the pastor called around noon to report substantial damage and stolen valuables. Although the pastor informed investigators there were no cameras on the site, a bystander reported seeing two unknown boys on the property just before the pastor arrived, according to the affidavit.

According to the affidavit, after the sheriff’s office discovered that the boys were perhaps associated with a neighboring apartment, a deputy was able to reunite the church with a stolen lawnmower that was “sitting in the grass in plain view” behind said apartment.

The following day, a deputy spoke with the woman who lived in the apartment. The mom informed the deputy that her kid has several friends who would come over, but she was unfamiliar with the church. The wife quickly called the deputy and informed him that a 13-year-old child wanted to speak with him.

According to the affidavit, the boy and his mother lived with the woman. He wanted to see the church after a friend said it was abandoned and because he had never been in an abandoned building.

He informed deputies he visited the church several times between August 25 and Sunday, according to authorities, and the damage was done on August 28.

The defendant went back to the church with another friend, who he only knows as (redacted). While inside the church, (redacted) tripped which caused some damage to the floor. After that occurred, the defendant decided to cause significant intentional damage, to include destroying the walls. The defendant advised he was the only person that stole anything or did any intentional damage. When asked about how much damage he caused, the defendant advised it was ‘a lot.’

The affidavit states that the youngster told detectives he intended to sell the lawn mower. The pastor informed authorities that a loudspeaker had been stolen from the church; when officers inquired about the speaker, the youngster reportedly stated that he found it in the woods and was going to connect it to one of his own, according to the affidavit.