Congregants at a church in Wednesbury, in the West Midlands, have been left shaken after thieves targeted church property and food bank donations.
The break-in happened at St Luke’s Church on Elwell Street “between midnight on Friday and 7am on Saturday and a number of items were taken”, according to a police spokesperson. It is the third break-in at the church this year.
Parishioners were informed of the incident during the regular Sunday service. The church, along with neighbouring St Bartholomew’s, is now led by Canon Dr Taiwo Olumuyiwa, who joined from a Bushbury parish shortly after Easter.
Items stolen included musical instruments, a sandwich toaster, a vacuum cleaner, a vase, two bottles of communion wine, coffee, chocolate, biscuits and milk.
Janette Barker, a long-standing worshipper at the church, spent the weekend helping with the clean-up and liaising with police. She said the theft of food bank donations had caused the greatest upset.
“I just despair. So much hate, greed and selfishness in the world, let alone the country. We've estimated that the donations to the food bank could total anything from £100 to £150,” she said.
After Barker posted about the incident on Facebook, parishioners and supporters shared messages of support. One person wrote: “Absolutely disgraceful to hear this awful news. St Luke’s team do fantastic work and do not deserve to have to put up with this. Let us hope those responsible are caught as soon as possible.”
Another commented: “Oh no! Not again! ... This is awful. I am so sorry to read this.”
At the end of March, the church was targeted on successive nights, with items including a brown gorilla gazebo, a church projector and Slimming World bars stolen.
A spokesperson for West Midlands Police said officers are currently “investigating a burglary” and encouraged anyone with information to come forward.