Raiders target church boxes (From Gazette & Herald)

Raiders target church boxes

CHURCHES across North Yorkshire have vowed to keep their doors open to worshippers - despite the actions of a minority responsible for a spate of thefts from offertory boxes.

There have been five reports of thefts and attempted break-ins of church collection boxes in the past week.

PC Ian Fraser of Malton Police said the latest to be targeted was St Gregory's Minster, Kirkdale, where would-be thieves attempted to force open an offertory box between 3pm and 8pm on Saturday.

Thieves stole £5 after smashing open an offertory box at St Martin's Church, Bulmer, between 9am on Tuesday and 10am on Friday, and thieves struck at St Michael's Church, Crambe, between May 9 and 12, making off with the box containing a total of £15. At All Saints 'Church, Thornton-le-Dale, £10 was taken between 9am and 5pm on May 12.

Criminals have struck twice in a week at All Saints' Church, Helmsley. They broke the locks on offertory boxes on May 8 and Saturday.

"I think it's absolutely despicable. How petty-minded, nasty and silly can you get? The sums of money are so relatively small," said Mike Le Masurier, church warden at St Michael's.

"Churches are left open so people can see them, so people can sit quietly in them or visit them because they are of historical importance, like ours, which is more than 1,000 years old. The offertory boxes collect a little money towards maintenance.

"It's always a possibility that we'll have to close the church, but we really don't want to do that. It's one place people can come if they feel low or they want to know more about the church."

The Rev David Wilbourne, vicar of All Saints' Church, Helmsley, said some of the money stolen had been given by people who had lit votive candles.

He said: "People come in with their worries and concerns and light a candle to bring light into their particular darkness. When you see some of the things they have written in the book that they are dealing with, it seems very mean for this to happen.

"We're not going to close because of mean-minded thieves."

Dave Alger, warden at All Saints' Church, Thornton-le-Dale, said: "It's a sad state of affairs when people steal from offertory boxes. Closing the church is perhaps a solution, but people do like to visit and reflect in a place of calm."

Updated: 10:11 Tuesday, May 18, 2004