A private security firm has been hired to guard Bishop Raymond Lahey's residence in Antigonish, N.S., after it was vandalized.

Ronnie Horne, who lives around the corner from Lahey's house, said a neighbour told him someone hung a sign from a post in front of Lahey's house within 24 hours of his child pornography charges becoming public.

"Someone had put a sign on the post saying, 'Pedophile lives here,'" Horne said. "I don't know how the lady found out but she came out, took it off and she threw it in the garbage — and from then on there's been security there."

He said security guards had been stationed in front of the house on 23 Silverwood Drive for 24 hours a day since Oct. 1.

Lahey was charged on Sept. 25 for allegedly possessing child pornography on his laptop. He resigned as bishop of the diocese of Antigonish the next day and turned himself in to police on Oct. 1.

Bruce MacIntosh, a lawyer for the diocese of Antigonish, said he did not know how long members of Reliant Security would be on the property.

He said he believes the anger that some people are feeling will subside.

"It reflected a frustration that some people must feel and it was decided that it would be prudent to take precautionary steps to have somebody keep an eye on the property for a bit of time until people have an opportunity to reflect more calmly on some very difficult circumstances."

Father Paul Abbass, the spokesman for the Antigonish diocese, said the diocese will cover the cost of keeping the property secure because the house is their property.