Community left shocked after church is ransacked
A PRIEST has spoken of his shock after a thief broke into a Co Tyrone church, leaving a trail of blood on the floor and altar.
Police have launched an investigation after hundreds of pounds worth of damage was caused in two break-ins at St Theresa’s church and a restaurant in Sion Mills, Co Tyrone.
The burglar targeted Restaurant 1861 at the historic Sion Stables some time between Saturday night and yesterday morning. Two tills and an ATM reader were stolen but later recovered. A display case was also damaged.
At St Theresa’s Church in the village, a large stained glass window was smashed and attempts were made to steal collection boxes and break into areas where valuables are stored. The burglar sustained cuts, leaving blood on the floor and altar.
Parish priest Fr Thomas Canning said the community is in shock, adding: “Someone smashed the window at the side of the church,” he said. “They were unable to get to anything, they didn’t succeed. Everything that we use for Communion was locked away.
“The stained glass window that they broke was 55 years old. It will have to be replaced. I’d say it will cost maybe £700 to do that. It’s hard to know what kind of damage has been caused or how much it will cost until a full investigation is done.
“The people who did this certainly don’t represent the community, they don’t represent any denomination of any kind. The attack knocked me a little bit. It’s just beginning to sink in now. It was such a shock.
“It is not only an attack on myself, but an attack on the whole community and the village as a whole. The community has been rallying around today. People are just devastated. People hold their church dear to their hearts.”
Sion Mills community worker Andy Patton said there was disgust and upset that the church was ‘violated’.
“The community right across the board, from every section, is just disgusted,” he said.
“I would ask the people who did this, why? Why would anyone inflict that on the local parish? Why would you come in and instil fear on the local priest and this community?
“This church is the heart of our community and it has been violated. Whoever did this left their blood everywhere. It is on the broken window, it has dripped on to a heater, it is on the altar and on the sacristy door, where they tried to get in there. They have left blood on the collection boxes also, so it seems to be that it was money or artefacts they were after. There was a lot of blood around. There is also CCTV footage, so hopefully they will be caught.”
A police spokesperson said: “A burglary, like any crime, is unacceptable but I’m sure you’ll agree that in particular a burglary in a place of worship is particularly sickening and abhorrent.
“This is an attack on the people of Sion Mills, local parishioners and local businesses and we would ask anyone in the area who saw anything suspicious, no matter how innocuous it may seem, to please make contact with us on 101.”