Minister perplexed at run of thefts

Press, 10 September 1987, Page 3

Minister perplexed at run of thefts

An Addington clergyman says he finds it hard to understand why his church has been the target of a spate of burglaries.

“There just isn’t anything worth stealing,’’ said the Rev. Bruce Caygill, minister of St John’s Methodist Church in Addington. The church, at the corner of Selwyn Street and Somerset Street has been burgled four times in the last six months, including twice this week.

“I think they imagine the church could have money in cupboards or could have silverware tucked away somewhere,”

Mr Caygill said. "We just haven’t got anything like that “We are in a district where that would be entirely Inappropriate. Apart from that it is not Methodist tradition to spend large amounts of money on those types of furnishings.” Mr Caygill said the burglaries were most annoying. “I see it as wayward vandalism more than anything else.” In the first burglary a chalice, paten (plate) and furnishings from the Communion table were stolen. In the second, about

two months ago, a christening font was taken. Mr Caygill believes the thieves may have had the mistaken belief that the basin in the font was silver. A reading lamp was taken off the organ. On Monday night the burglars stole a microphone.

On-Tuesday night they broke into the church’s "helping hand" store which stocks clothing.

A check has shown nothing was stolen. “It is the pattern of the times,” said Mr Caygill. “We would very much like these people to know that we have nothing of value in the church.”