Lead thieves leave church with huge repair bill
JON MACPHERSON
PARISHIONERS have been left counting the cost after a THIRD church lead theft this year.
Thieves stripped thousands of pounds worth of lead from Baxenden St John’s Church between Friday, July 5 and Saturday, July 6.
Churchwarden Diane Clough said they must have ‘risked life and limb’ during the incident and is appealing for help to catch the culprits.
She told the Observer: “They have stripped the whole of the lead from one side of the church. It’s going to cost thousands of pounds to fix the damage.
“I don’t know how they have done it.
“It’s life and limb they have risked.
“I’m surprised someone didn’t see or hear
them. It must have been in the early hours of the morning when it happened and they probably had to bring a ladder. It’s quite some height.
“We can get some insurance but every theft costs us.
“It’s the third time this year and this was the worst one.
“Had the weather been wet we would also have been talking about major damage inside. Luckily it was quite reasonable.”
Diane said they have been left ‘annoyed and frustrated’ by the latest theft and will look to install extra security measures to prevent further incidents.
She said: “We have had to take time out to try and sort it out to the best of our ability.
“It has upset the whole church. We have also had to put scaffolding up and we are worried that people could climb up it.
“They seem to be targeting our church and I don’t know why. Each time the theft is getting bigger.
“We are going to get some cameras put in and take more preventative measures.
“We would be grateful for any assistance, not just to get to the bottom of this but to prevent it happening again.”
Accrington Central Neighbourhood Policing Team said the theft happened sometime between 8.30am on July 5 and 5pm on July 6.
A spokesperson said: “There is the potential that they could come back for more so we are asking residents to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity. Your Neighbourhood Policing Team has increased patrols in the area.”
Anyone with information call 101 quoting log number 1167 of July 6.