A NEW scheme has been launched to protect religious sites across Hambleton and Richmondshire.

Churchwatch uses the Ringmaster system to alert those responsible for looking after churches to incidents of suspicious behaviour across the district, and was launched after a number of incidents at religious buildings in recent years.

Police Community Support Officer Angie Preston, of Northallerton Safer Neighbourhood Team, is running the scheme and said: “Churches, chapels and other places of worship are home to items of historical and monetary value which attract the attention of thieves intent on depriving local communities of their heritage”. Due to many of them being in small villages or unattended most of the time, they can be vulnerable to crime.

“I am encouraging anyone connected with churches such as vicars, priests and church wardens to sign up to Ringmaster. If you notice anyone acting suspiciously near religious buildings to contact the police straight away so that we can send out alerts.”

To join the scheme go to nypcommunitymessaging.org or for more information about making places of worship secure go to northyorkshire.police.uk/churchsecurity