Natrona Heights' alleged bell ringer is facing charges.
Raymond F. Vecchi Jr., 46, of the 1000 block of Brackenridge Avenue, Brackenridge, is accused of ringing a large bell outside the Our Lady of Perpetual Help (OLPH) parish, at 1526 Union Ave., early in the morning and without permission.
Vecchi also is accused of causing about $3,400 damage at four churches, chiefly by breaking stained glass and other windows, police allege.
In addition to OLPH, damage was reported at Blessed Sacrament, Faith Lutheran and Natrona Heights Presbyterian churches. But OLPH was worst hit with at least $2,300 of the damage, police allege.
"He told us that he doesn't have a good reason for doing this," police Chief Mike Klein said.
"There is nothing tied to a dislike or dissatisfaction with a specific church or religion," Klein said. "This wasn't a hate crime."
The burly Vecchi had to bear-hug the heavy cast bell and partially pick it up to move the clapper and cause the bell to ring, police said.
Even so, although Vecchi allegedly rang the bell enough to upset people and to drive over church lawns, but there wasn't a clear pattern for police.
Church members and neighbors also were frustrated. When a wooden block was placed inside the bell to prevent the clapper from ringing, Vecchi reached inside and threw the block down, police allege.
Then police started to get bits and pieces of information.
Parishioners told police about a gray-haired, middle-aged, scruffy and stocky white man who walked into the Catholic churches to burn candles, but then didn't pay for the candles as is expected.
The long-haired man, who wore an Army jacket, was always seen leaving in a white Chevrolet.
That description led to the man's arrest papers late last week.
Detective Floyd "Bucky" Taraszewski said he was on patrol at about noon last Friday near OLPH when he heard a bell ringing.
In a report, Taraszewski said he saw a man lifting the bell, then get inside a white Chevy and drive away.
Police said the man matched the description down to his jacket and scruffy appearance.
Taraszewski said he followed the car several blocks to the area of Sixth Avenue, Brackenridge, where Brackenridge and Tarentum police pulled the car over at Taraszewski's request.
Taraszewski said Vecchi voluntarily signed a statement admitting to the spree of bell ring, window breaking, burning candles and driving over church lawns.
Vecchi is charges with seven counts each of institutional vandalism, criminal mischief, simple trespass and disorderly conduct. The charges were mailed to him, so he was released after police talked to him.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled in June.
According to court records, Vecchi has pleaded guilty six times since 2009 to careless driving and not obeying traffic signals in Tarentum and Harrison.
