Man Lit Cross On Fire Outside South Jersey Church: Officials

SOUTH JERSEY — A suspect is in custody after setting fire to a cross outside a Catholic church in Gloucester County Friday and lighting a flagpole on fire outside another, officials said.

Peter A. Sirolli, 40, of Deptford faces multiple charges as officials say he set the fires and caused property damage at churches in Woodbury, Runnemede, and Gloucester Township over the course of about 35 minutes Friday morning.

Gloucester Township police stopped and arrested him in Deptford at 7:45 a.m., according to a joint press release from Camden County Prosecutor Grace C. MacAulay and the chiefs of these three communities. He was taken to Camden County Correctional Facility, officials said.

Sirolli is accused of setting a 10-foot wood cross on fire on the lawn of St. Patrick’s Church/Holy Angels Parish in Woodbury at 7:11 a.m. Friday, officials said; the church's schedule shows a Mass would have been going on at the time, having started at 6:45.

He is then accused of traveling to St. Theresa Church /Holy Child Parish in Runnemede, where he attempted to throw a rock through the church’s window around 7:29 a.m., about an hour before the first morning service. A witness followed Sirolli in his own vehicle after seeing this and called Gloucester Township police, the department said.

Police say he then went to St. Agnes Church/Our Lady of Hope Parish in Blackwood, and broke a window with a rock at 7:39 a.m. That church had a Mass scheduled for 8 a.m.

“Sirolli is also accused of lighting the church’s flagpole on fire that displayed the American flag,” MacAulay said.

The witness who followed Sirolli's 2021 Toyota pickup truck reported that the maintenance supervisor of the parish yelled for him to stop, police said.

A Gloucester Township officer saw Sirolli's vehicle on Black Horse Pike near Church Street, and indicated for him to stop. He did not at first, before pulling over into another church parking lot in Deptford, police said.

A gas can and bricks were in the bed of Sirolli's truck, police said.

According to officials, Woodbury Police charged Sirolli with fourth-degree criminal mischief, third-degree arson, fourth-degree bias intimidation, and desecration of a sacred object (a disorderly persons offense).

Gloucester Township police charged him with third-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, fourth-degree unlawful possession of a weapon, third-degree criminal mischief, second-degree eluding, and bias intimidation.

And, Runnemede Police charged Sirolli with third-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose and fourth-degree unlawful possession of a weapon.

Sirolli works for UPS in supply chain solutions, according to a LinkedIn profile for him. Officials did not immediately provide a motive, and are still investigating.

Anyone with information may contact CCPO Major Crimes Unit Detective Cody Skinner at 856-580-6053 and Gloucester Township Police Detective Dennis Richards at 856-374- 5706. Tips can also be sent to CAMDEN.TIPS.

All three of these parishes are in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Camden, which serves more than 486,000 Catholics in South Jersey. The diocese said Bishop Dennis Sullivan is "greatly appreciative" to law enforcement for their quick work apprehending a suspect Friday.

“At a time when houses of worship often seem to be the target of individual angst, it is reassuring to know our local police departments take incidents like this so seriously and act quickly,” Sullivan said in a statement provided to Patch. “While we do not yet know the motivation of the person currently in custody, I ask the Catholic faithful of South Jersey to offer prayer that he may find peace.”

The Gloucester County Prosecutors Office, Camden County Fire Marshal’s Office, New Jersey State Fire Marshal’s Office, and the United State Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms division helped in the investigation, said officials.