605 crimes committed at churches in Northern Ireland from 2022 to 2024, new data reveals
Some 605 crimes have been recorded at churches in Northern Ireland from the start of 2022 until the end of 2024, according to new data obtained by the Countryside Alliance.
It may be Easter and a time for Christian celebration but the figures obtained by the Countryside Alliance as part of its ongoing call to focus attention on rural churches and increase funding for security at places of worship.
The latest 2022-2024 records from the PSNI (Police Service of Northern Ireland) reveal 243 reported thefts. Of these, 5 thefts were related to lead being taken from church roofs.
There were also 257 reported cases of criminal damage, and 105 reported cases of violence, twenty of which caused injury.
The total number of church crimes makes Northern Ireland the fourth worst-affected area in the country. Only West Yorkshire (with 1,121 reported crimes), Kent (with 655 reported crimes) and Greater Manchester (642 reported crimes) were hit harder.
Shocking cases of church crimes have been reported by the media over the past few years, but these only illustrate a tiny section of the widespread church crime problem.
In December last year, a burglar stole £6,000 worth of items from Buckna Presbyterian Church in Co Antrim, while just a few months before, a priest was found guilty of stealing £10,000 from his own church, St Colman’s Parish Church in Dunmurry.
In 2023, the Church of the Sacred Heart in Cloughoge near Newry was targeted by vandals who smashed several windows, causing thousands of pounds worth of damage. The church had only recently been refurbished.
And in 2019, both Sacred Heart Church in Ballyclare and St Mary’s Church in Limavady were vandalised and desecrated with paint.
Nationally, 179 lead thefts were recorded along with 3,937 thefts, 3,237 incidents of vandalism and criminal damage – including arson – and 1,974 incidents of violence, including sexual assault and assault on an officer. 228 other crimes were recorded, including drug trafficking and crimes against society.
This means that, on average, at least eight crimes took place at churches every single day over the three-year period.
Of the 43 police forces that responded to our FOI requests, only 33 provided us with figures, with some forces – such as the Metropolitan Police – refusing to supply us with data. Undoubtedly, then, the problem is even larger than these figures would suggest.
The organisation’s annual report into crimes on churches and religious buildings has revealed a total of 39,544 incidents between 2017 and 2024, with data obtained under Freedom of Information laws going back to 2017.
Mo Metcalf-Fisher, Director of External Affairs at the Countryside Alliance said: “These figures bring into stark relief the devastating fact that many churches and places of worship are being treated as easy targets by criminals.
“These are supposed to be places of refuge and tranquillity, where people go to worship or seek solace – but all too often they are being subjected to heinous crimes, either in or on their property.
“It is particularly saddening to see that Northern Ireland is the one of the worst-affected areas in the entire country.
“We cannot allow these precious places, which are often the centre of villages and towns across the country, to go unguarded and be so exposed.
“Easy access to protective funding schemes is of the greatest importance, but it is just as vital that members of the public keep an ever-watchful eye on churches and report suspicious behaviour to police.
“It is also our hope that there will be further progress on the development of a new aggravated offence legislation relating to the loss or damage of heritage assets, a move some Parliamentarians have already supported.
“Irrespective of faith or none, churches are more than just community buildings, they are often part of our centuries-old history and heritage. They must be protected”xa0
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Under the Freedom of Information Act, the following questions were asked to all 45 territorial forces across the UK:
1. How many crimes have been recorded by your force involving theft from/at churches or from/at church property from January 1, 2022- December 30, 2024?
a) If possible, please could you clarify how many of the thefts recorded relate to lead being taken from the church roof?
2. How many crimes have been recorded by your force involving assault (physical/violent) at churches or on church property from January 1, 2022- December 30, 2024?
3. How many crimes have been recorded of vandalism by your force on churches or on church property from January 1, 2022- December 30, 2024?
Note: Some forces do not log ‘church’ as a building type specifically and may instead log location as religious building.
- 43 police forces responded to the requests, with 33 of them providing us with figures. Undoubtedly, then, the problem is even larger than these figures would suggest.
