- CCTV exhibits the person in St Augustine Church in Edgbaston, Birmingham
- West Midlands Police are investigating the theft in broad daylight on Monday
That is the second a shameless thief strolls right into a abandoned church and makes off with a Victorian brass eagle value £6,000.
CCTV footage exhibits the person strolling up the aisle of St Augustine Church in Edgbaston, Birmingham, at round 11am on Monday.
The criminal removes the heavy lectern from its column earlier than draping a blanket over it and openly carrying it out of the church.
Sharing the footage on social media, the church stated the lectern has been a characteristic of St Augustine’s since its consecration in 1868.
West Midlands Police at the moment are investigating the theft which took simply two minutes to commit in broad daylight.
The person may be seen eradicating the lectern from the column earlier than draping a blanket over it
Footage exhibits the person carrying the brass eagle, which is hidden beneath a blanket, out of the church
The brass eagle estimated to be value £6,000 has been in place for the reason that church’s consecration in 1868
The thief struck whereas the church, which is open to the general public from 8.30am to 6pm day-after-day, was momentarily empty.
The Reverend Matthew Tomlinson stated: ‘I will need to have missed him by about 5 minutes as a result of I needed to come out.
‘It is extremely uncommon for this to occur on a Monday as a result of normally the church could be very busy with individuals.
‘He clearly knew precisely what he was after as a result of he walked straight as much as it and even had a blanket with him.
‘He knew it wasn’t connected and easily picked it up and walked out.’
The theft befell in broad daylight on Monday, June 10
The crime has been reported to West Midlands Police who’re investigating
CCTV captures the thief stealing the Victorian brass eagle lectern from St Augustine’s Church in Edgbaston
Rev Tomlinson stated the lectern was value round £6,000 however was hopeful it will be recovered.
He added: ‘An identical lectern was stolen from a church within the Birmingham space final 12 months however it was recovered.
‘It seems the thief could not promote it on as a result of sellers knew it was stolen. We actually hope we’ll get it again.
‘All of us really feel a way of intrusion and that our hospitality has been abused.
‘There was a spate of thefts from church buildings within the space. The break ins have occurred at evening so it’s uncommon for one to occur within the day time.
‘The church will proceed to be opened.’
A West Midlands Police spokesperson stated: ‘The theft has been reported to us and our enquiries are ongoing.’
