Placer County sheriff’s detectives are investigating the destruction of a statue of the Virgin Mary in Kings Beach as a hate crime.

Sometime last weekend suspects removed the head, hands and fingers of the granite state at Our Lady of the Lake Catholic Church. The fingers were found on church property.

Several churches in the area were vandalized last year, though authorities are not saying if the crimes are related.

Anyone with information about this case is asked to call Detective John Riella at 530.581.6325 or Placer County Crimestoppers anonymously at 800.923.8191.

— Lake Tahoe News staff report