Britain’s churches have suffered a wave of crime in recent years, with crooks hitting places of worship on average eight times a day, as per new figures.
There were a whopping 9,148 records of theft, burglary, criminal damage, vandalism and assault in churches and other religious properties from January 2022 to December 2024.
That means that, on average, at least eight crimes per day were committed in churches in that period, according to numbers from the Countryside Alliance.
Some particularly egregious incidents included the overnight theft of a whopping £90,000 worth of solid silver from Sherborne Abbey in Dorset, in August last year.
And in June, a 140-year-old bronze eagle lectern worth £6,000 was stolen in broad daylight, at 11am on a Monday, from St Augustine’s Church in Birmingham. Rev Matthew Tomlinson said at the time: ‘Our hospitality has been abused.’
Just earlier this year, three teenagers were sentenced to a 12-month referral order for arson at the former Wesley Chapel in Hartlepool, County Durham, after smoking in the building. They caused more than £200,000 of damage.
The worst-affected area was West Yorkshire, were a terrifying 1,121 crimes were committed in churches, followed by Kent with 655 and Greater Manchester at 642.
Assistant Chief Constable Rachel Nolan, a leader of national police efforts against heritage crime, called the crimewave ‘abhorrent’: ‘They are attacks on our national and local heritage, and can cause irreplaceable damage.’
In June, a 140-year-old bronze eagle lectern worth £6,000 was stolen in broad daylight (pictured), at 11am on a Monday, from St Augustine’s Church in Birmingham
Just earlier this year, three teenagers were sentenced to a 12-month referral order for arson (pictured) at the former Wesley Chapel in Hartlepool, County Durham
Other particularly egregious incidents included the overnight theft of a whopping £90,000 worth of solid silver from Sherborne Abbey (pictured, file photo) in Dorset, in August last year
The most common crime in Britain’s churches across the three-year period was theft and burglary, with a huge 3,758 of these incidents recorded, when 34 of 43 provided figures in response to a Freedom of Information request.
Criminal damage, vandalism and arson also afflicted places of worship nationwide, with 3,237 instances reported.
There were also a staggering 1,974 cases of violence – which is something staff at St Augustine’s Abbey in Ramsgate, Kent, sadly know too well.
Three masked, armed men broke into the historic place of worship in the early hours one night in July 2023 during a religious retreat taking place there.
Many of the visiting worshippers were asleep or saying prayers during the break-in -which saw three of them tied up with electrical cables.
The violent intruders, one of whom was brandishing a metal wrench, also pinned down a priest in his bed.
They made a father and son lie face down on the floor, sitting on them and threatening to kill them, and forced another man to lie on the floor, where they then kicked and punched him.
While they held the worshippers at ransom, the terrifying criminals caused £1,000 worth of damage to the Grade II-listed, 19th-century abbey, as they ransacked rooms and searched for cash money.
This is the shocking moment a shameless thief strolled into the deserted St Augustine’s Church in Birmingham, before making off with a Victorian brass eagle worth £6,000
The crook removed the heavy lectern (pictured) from its column before draping a blanket over it and shamelessly carrying it out of the church
The former Wesley Chapel was devastated by a huge blaze (pictured) in November 2023
Career criminal George Mason, 29, of Margate, Kent, was sentenced to eight years in prison in October 2023 for the aggravated burglary.
The judge said it was ‘fortunate for the interests of justice’ Mr Mason had been caught, after he and his two accomplices – who had not been found – ‘obliterated the peace and sanctuary’ at the abbey.
It was the eighth time in fewer than ten years that the retreat had been targeted, the court heard.
Recent years mark a continuation of the high crime levels seen in British churches since 2017.
There have been a shocking 39,544 such crimes recorded in that eight-year period, with 15,506 thefts, 11,253 cases of criminal damage and arson and 4,568 instances of violence.
Shockingly, the crimes committed in churches and religious buildings in West Yorkshire – one of the country’s worst-affected areas – included 11 incidents of rape, from 2022 to 2024.
They also included other sexual offences, a case of drug trafficking and nearly 100 instances of stalking and harassment in the same period.
Leader of efforts against heritage crime at the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC), Assistant Chief Constable Rachel Nolan, said: ‘Stealing from, or damaging any places of worship, historic buildings and cultural sites is abhorrent.
‘Churches are important to many communities across the country and these crimes directly impact people who visit, worship and enjoy those spaces.
There were also a staggering 1,974 cases of violence – which is something staff at St Augustine’s Abbey (pictured) in Ramsgate, Kent, sadly know too well
Three masked, armed men broke into the historic place of worship in the early hours one night in July 2023 during a religious retreat taking place there. Pictured: St Augustine’s Abbey
Three teenagers admitted arson when they appeared in court in January this year. Pictured: The former Wesley Chapel on fire
Many of the visiting worshippers were asleep or saying prayers during the break-in -which saw three of them tied up with electrical cables. Pictured: St Augustine’s Abbey
Career criminal George Mason (pictured), 29, of Margate, Kent, was sentenced to eight years in prison in October 2023 for the aggravated burglary
‘They are attacks on our national and local heritage, and can cause irreplaceable damage.’
Staff at the medieval Sherborne Abbey in Dorset saw this for themselves in August last year, when £90,000 worth of silver was stolen in a ‘devastating’ overnight theft.
Rev Martin Lee told the BBC at the time the town had been left ‘so upset’ after items including a bishop’s crook and a cross used in processions were taken.
He said he thought the culprits ‘knew exactly what they had come for’ – they left behind less valuable, silver-plated items and took solid silver ones instead.
He said: ‘They are very important items – valuable but emotionally important to us as well – it’s very sad. It was devastating to find they had been stolen.’
Of locals, the Reverend added: ‘The abbey is theirs, it belongs to the whole of Sherborne. They feel aggrieved and angry as well.’
At the other end of the country, in Hartlepool, County Durham, another community was devastated by criminal activity at a local place of worship too.
Firefighters spent hours tackling the flames at the former Wesley Chapel in November 2023, after three teens smoking in the building accidentally set it on fire.
Firefighters spent hours tackling the flames (pictured) at the former Wesley Chapel In Hartlepool, County Durham, in November 2023, after three teens smoking in the building accidentally set it on fire
A 16-year-old and two 15-year-old boys admitted arson. Pictured: Firefighters tackling the blaze
They were sentenced to a 12-month referral order to work with the youth justice team and had to pay a £26 victim surcharge. Pictured: The fire at the former Wesley Chapel
The fire at the Grade II-listed building – built in 1873, which was being redeveloped into a boutique hotel at the time – caused more than £200,000 worth of damage. Pictured: Crowds gathered as the chapel burned
Sentencing, the judge said it was a very serious offence – but the boys had shown ‘genuine’ remorse. Pictured: Police attending the fire at the former chapel
Countryside Alliance’s director of external affairs, Mo Metcalf-Fisher, said: ‘Horrific attacks on churches and places of worship continue to happen all across the country’. Pictured: The former Wesley Chapel on fire
A 16-year-old and two 15-year-old boys admitted arson and were sentenced to a 12-month referral order to work with the youth justice team and had to pay a £26 victim surcharge.
The fire at the Grade II-listed building – built in 1873, which was being redeveloped into a boutique hotel at the time – caused more than £200,000 worth of damage.
Sentencing, the judge said it was a very serious offence – but the boys had shown ‘genuine’ remorse.
Countryside Alliance’s director of external affairs, Mo Metcalf-Fisher, said: ‘Horrific attacks on churches and places of worship continue to happen all across the country.
‘Thieves and criminals treat them as easy targets, brazenly stealing from and causing criminal damage to these focal points of our communities.
‘Churches and places of worship are the beating heart of many rural towns and villages. They are meant to be places of sanctity, solace, and refuge.
‘Increasingly, however, they seem to be being subjected to awful acts of crime on a regular basis.
‘We cannot allow these cherished places to continue to be unprotected against the machinations of criminals – it is vital that the public keep a watchful eye and report any issues to the police.’
Staff at the medieval Sherborne Abbey (pictured) in Dorset where shocked in August last year, after £90,000 worth of silver was stolen in a ‘devastating’ overnight theft
Rev Martin Lee (pictured) told the BBC at the time the town had been left ‘so upset’ after items including a bishop’s crook and a cross used in processions were taken
He said he thought the culprits ‘knew exactly what they had come for’ – they left behind less valuable, silver-plated items and took solid silver ones (pictured) instead
Of locals, the Reverend added: ‘The abbey is theirs, it belongs to the whole of Sherbourne. They feel aggrieved and angry as well’. Pictured: Solid silver items stolen from the abbey
There was one particularly horrifying incident at a 14th-century church in the historic market town of Baldock, Hertfordshire, in July last year.
Several gravestones were smashed or entirely destroyed – while all the windows and doors at the church hall were broken.
And the year before, in 2023, two thieves, mainly targeting lead on church roofs, were sentenced to a total of ten years in prison.
It came after they caused an eye-watering £1.25million worth of damage to 40 churches in just seven months.
Their crimes even went international. They fled the country after they were released on bail – but were then arrested on European Arrest Warrants and extradited.
Churches are currently protected by the Places of Worship Protective Security Scheme, for places of worship and community centres linked to them in England and Wales.
Under this initiative, centres can apply for physical security measures, like CCTV, alarms, gates and secure fencing, which are provided for free by the Home Office.
But the Countryside Alliance is pushing for the Government to ‘extend and guarantee future funding and promotion’ of the scheme.
A Church of England spokesperson said: ‘Our churches play such a crucial role in providing spiritual, pastoral and practical support to their local communities, helped by our wonderful volunteers.
‘A crime committed at a church is a real setback, not just for its congregation, but for all those who benefit from its presence in their community.’
Anyone who spots anything suspicious at their local church or place of worship is asked to report it online, via 101 or anonymously via Crimestoppers.
There are also Heritage Watch schemes nationwide, which are open to all.
