Mobile UPI  |   About UPI  |   UPI en Español  |   UPI Arabic  |   UPIU  |   My Account
Search:
Go

Scottish church robbed

|
|
 
  
Published: Dec. 27, 2008 at 4:46 PM

GOREBRIDGE, Scotland, Dec. 27 (UPI) -- Thieves broke into a Catholic church in Scotland and allegedly even tried to sell the sacramental wine.

The Scotsman reported Saturday that robbers targeted St. Margaret's Church in Gorebridge, allegedly stealing religious artifacts in addition to the win. Some of the pilfered items were recovered from local pawnbrokers.

"They removed the protective coverings from a window and smashed through the glass so they could climb into the sacristy. That room was locked so they could go no further," said church Cannon Hugh White. "They tried to move the safe, but it was obviously too heavy and couldn't be opened. Bottles of altar wine and items of worship were taken from a cupboard."

The thieves also stole a 16-inch, gold-plated monstrance -- a consecrated vessel used to hold the sacramental wafers -- gold plates, a holy water holder, a communion set and candle snuffers, the newspaper reported.

"Everyone was very helpful and pulled together after it happened. A glazier was kind enough to come straight out to fix the window. Obviously this is a busy time of year at the church so I could do without these kind of incidents," White said.

© 2008 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Any reproduction, republication, redistribution and/or modification of any UPI content is expressly prohibited without UPI's prior written consent.

Order reprints
  
Join the conversation
Most Popular Collections
The Tibetan Moniam Festival in China Super Bowl XLVI ticker tape victory parade The making of the Oscars
The Chicago Auto Show The Most Desirable Women of 2012 Tu Bishvat Migron settlement
Additional Top News Stories
1 of 25
Meryl Streep and Colin Firth attend the "BAFTA" ceremony in London
View Caption
fark
"Man charged with exposing himself to women while riding bike" which really is a lot harder than...
Florida man ran into his ex-girlfriend yesterday. Then he backed up and ran into her again. He misses...
Adam Adamowicz, concept artist for Fallout and Skyrim, passes away after losing his fight against...
If you are Australia's most notorious hired gun, brag about having killed 19 people, and go by the...
Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer robbed by machete-wielding intruder in the home he owns on...
Photoshop this striking side shot