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A gang of thieves uses explosives to open church safes and steal tens of thousands of pounds worth of silver.
They are believed to have broken into four churches so far, escaping with chalices, candlesticks, crucifixes and plates that were locked away in a safe place.
In one raid, 25 communion pieces of silver were stolen from a locked safe in the vestry of Lady St Mary’s Church in Wareham, Dorset, including a 450-year-old Elizabethan chalice worth £30,000.
The burglars broke a lead window to gain access to the historic 10th-century building and used angle grinders to break down the heavy oak doors.
They then drilled a hole in the door of a 3-foot tall safe, then placed explosives inside to force the door open.
Similar thefts occurred at two churches in Suffolk and another in Lancashire. The police confirmed that they are checking whether they are related.
Police and the Church of England have warned other churches to be vigilant.
Canon Simon Everett described the attack on Lady St Mary’s as “a very professional offence”.
The gang attacked on the night of April 14 while he was sleeping in the rectory.
They cut the power in case the church had CCTV cameras, then broke down all the locked doors inside before finding the safe in the warehouse.
Their booty included a seven-inch Elizabethan goblet and another dated to the time of Charles II.
Several items belonging to neighboring churches, which had been stored there due to the lack of their own safes, were also taken.
There are fears that valuable items may be melted down.
The thieves also used a lubricant, possibly WD40, to prevent their fingerprints from being detected.
Canon Everett said: “They tried to drill the locks of the safe, when they had no fun, they drilled a hole in the middle of the door and put a small explosive under the mechanism.
“I don’t know what noise that would make.” He didn’t rip the door off its hinges, he just blew out the locking mechanism.
“It was done very professionally. There was no trace of DNA, fingerprints or anything. They cut off all the electrics in case there were security cameras, they knew exactly what they were doing.
“They didn’t interfere with anything else in the church, they just took all the silver.
“We don’t know how they knew.” It’s a mystery to all of us – we don’t know if they just took a chance that many churches might have silver.
“These pieces were of considerable value and historical, some from the time of Elizabeth I. We didn’t have an appraisal yet, but there were some really important pieces.
“It is really disturbing that they have desecrated a sacred place. Many of these items were donated in memory of loved ones. This is a real violation of a sacred space that is important to the people of Wareham.
“People are shocked and outraged, they just can’t believe it. It’s so bold. They got away with it and there seems to be nothing to do.
“The really sad thing is that some of them are really significant pieces and it would be terrible to think that they will just be melted down.
“I don’t think the value of silver itself is that great compared to its historical value. They are irreplaceable.
The church is still awaiting an appraisal of the stolen items, but an expert has indicated they are worth tens of thousands.
The Elizabethan chalice on which the name of the church is engraved is 7.25 inches tall and dates from 1574. Similar pieces are available for sale online for up to £27,000.
A silver chalice made in the time of Charles II would be worth around £8,000.
Two similar incidents occurred in Suffolk.
Thieves stole a Victorian cross and lectern from St Mary’s Church in Burstall between April 9 and 11.
Several items, including five candlesticks, two vases, two small organ candlesticks and candle holders, were stolen from St. Michael in Woolvestone on April 18.
In Lancashire, criminals attacked St Mary’s Church in Goosnargh on April 10. They drilled locks on two safes and stole cash and many silver items “of considerable value”.
Lancashire Police have admitted the thefts may be linked.
A spokeswoman said: “We are aware of church break-ins in other parts of the country and we are linked to the forces involved.”
She added: “We are asking antique dealers and those attending antique fairs and auctions to be vigilant with regard to property that may have been stolen in church break-ins.
“If they suspect items they see have been stolen, please report this to the police. We want the items returned to their rightful owners.”
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