A church in Northampton has called for the public's help in catching a thief who stole its streaming equipment.
The vicar at All Saints' Church, Northampton Fr Oliver Cross said he was testing their live-streaming equipment on Wednesday evening after noticing some sound problems earlier on in the day.
In a Facebook post, he said someone took advantage of the equipment being out that evening and entered the building through a side entrance. The person stole three electronic items worth around £560.
"During lockdown, livestreams and online worship and events have been vital to maintaining some semblance of normality," Fr Oliver said.
"After we returned to church for public worship on 5th July, it has been a key undertaking to those who've continued to shield themselves that we would continue as we have for the foreseeable future. I'm sorry to say that this theft, coming at a time of intense financial difficulty for us, makes that very difficult."
The incident was caught on the church's CCTV.
Despite being violated by a criminal, the church said it will continue to keep its doors open during the day.
"Our general experience is, in any case, that locked doors do not deter the determined and desperate criminal," Fr Oliver said.
"And so, as Christians called and sent we must get on with the business of loving our neighbour, and praying for those who persecute us (Matthew 5: 44), a task made harder by those who would steal from us."
Northamptonshire Police is investigating the theft.