Vandal decapitates church Virgin Mary statue

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (AP) - A vandal beheaded the Virgin Mary statue outside a Santa Monica church where Gov. Arnold Schwarzegger is among worshippers.

Police are investigating it as a hate crime.

The headless statue was discovered Easter morning. A priest found the head on the ground a few feet away.

The 55-year-old lifesize marble statue was covered with plastic before Sunday services began. The head will be remounted.

There are no arrests.

Police Lt. Darrell Lowe says it it's being investigated as a hate crime because the statue is "of a very important figure within the Catholic religion."

The feet and hands were cut off the statue in 2002. There were no arrests for that crime.