Saugerties Police arrested Nathaniel H. Schultz, 25, of Main St., earlier today and charged him with third-degree burglary and petit larceny.
According to police, footage from a security camera shows a man, whom police believe to be Shultz, enter the chapel and then sacristy at the rectory of Saint Mary’s of the Snow Catholic Church in the village of Saugerties at around 3 a.m. this morning. The video shows the man removing his clothing and then prostrating himself in front of vestments utilized during church services. The man then opened a bottle of religious wine he obtained from the sacristy, drinking several times from the bottle. At one point in the video, the man urinates into a trash can inside of the sacristy. The man remained in the sacristy for approximately four hours before being discovered by a church congregation member who arrived at the chapel to prepare for morning mass.
Shultz was arrested by police detectives a short time later, and charged with the felony of burglary in the third degree and petit larceny. Shultz was arraigned in the Village of Saugerties Court and released on his own recognizance upon the issuance of an Order or Protection on behalf of Saint Mary’s Church.
Shultz was previously arrested for a similar crime. On April 17, Saugerties Police gave him the same charge, that time for breaking into the Saugerties Reformed Church on John St. Police said he entered church during the early morning hours and proceeded to the day care center, where he caused damage.