State College police filed charges this week against three Penn State students for the first of two recent incidents involving the removal and damage of a fraternity’s menorah.

Charles Carden, 19, James Delaney, 20, and Frank Rao, 19, were each charged with summary offenses of criminal mischief-tampering with property.

Police said overnight between Nov. 29-30 the three men removed the menorah from in front of Zeta Beta Tau fraternity, 328 E. Fairmount Ave., and returned it damaged before fraternity members realized it had been taken.

The 9-foot menorah is valued at $1,800.

Charges were filed last week in a separate incident a few days later involving the Zeta Beta Tau menorah. In that case four people were charged with misdemeanor counts of theft, receiving stolen property, and criminal mischief for allegedly taking the menorah and later returning it, as well as other damage to the fraternity’s property during the early morning hours of Dec. 2.

A Zeta Beta Tau member told police he saw several college-aged males taking the menorah and was punched in the face when he tried to stop them. He declined to pursue assault charges, according to police.

The defendants in that incident were members of or were staying at Theta Delta Chi fraternity. Theta Delta Chi’s president was angry that they took the menorah and arranged for them to return it, according to a criminal complaint.

Police previously said ethnic intimidation was not involved in either case.