Cash theft at St Peter’s Church ‘a breach of trust’
Thieves broke into St Peter’s Church collection box over the festive period, making off with about £100.
The theft came just days after the church had raised more than £1,400 in its Christmas collections.
The perpetrators entered the church late on Thursday 28 December and broke open a padlock to steal money from an iron box.
Rector the Rev. Adrian Datta said that the discovery had made him feel both disappointed and disturbed.
‘Our prayer and continued endeavour is to serve others and for the church to be a safe and sacred place at the heart of the community,’ he said.
‘The amount of money taken was not great, approximately £100, but this act is a breach of trust that causes us marked sadness.
‘If there are people who are in financial need within the parish there is a fund that can be accessed to help. I would ask anyone to contact me or the parish office for further details.’
The church is normally left open, but Mr Datta said that the burglary obviously undermined trust. The burglary appeared to be planned as the thieves must have brought tools, such as a crowbar, with them in order to break the heavy padlock.
Mr Datta said the padlock had now been replaced and the church would now take steps to increase the security of the building.
‘This will include earlier closing times and the installation of CCTV,’ he said.
‘If you see any suspicious activity in the area please do let us know.’
He added that he wanted to invite people to pop into the church and pray for a few minutes whenever they were passing.
‘Even if they are just on their way to Morrisons or Sylvans. We would like a presence at the church as much as possible in an effort to keep it open.’
On a more cheerful note, Mr Datta wanted to thank all the people who had attended Christmas Eve services.
‘It was wonderful to celebrate the magic and mystery of Christmas with so very many.
‘Our Christmas collections, which raised £1,425, will be split evenly between Les Bourgs Hospice and Open Doors, a charity that supports persecuted Christians in over 50 countries.
‘We were deeply moved by everyone’s kindness and generosity.’
Guernsey Police said they were aware of the incident and it was being investigated.
Anyone with any information can contact PC Tom Redford on 01481 222222 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111
