I am messaging our Community Alert members to highlight a relatively recent group of crimes that may be connected. In the last four weeks three rural churches in the south of the Cotswold district have been burgled. It would be fantastic if a detail mentioned below prompted you to recall a piece of information that might help us to identify an offender. More realistically, my hope is that those members who live in our rural villages pay closer attention to the church buildings near their homes and look out for suspicious activity in their immediate vicinity.

Overnight 20th into 21st June St John the Baptist church in Kingscote near Tetbury was burgled. A church window was broken and thief or thieves have forced entry to the church collection box. The church safe was also stolen. An angle grinder or similar was used to remove ecclesiastical silver and church papers from within before the safe itself was discarded. Our crime reference number is 24529/24.

Overnight 10th into the 11th July St Bartholomews church in Newington Bagpath near Tetbury had the padlock cut from its main door. Nothing was stolen from within the church but approximately 500 Cotswold stone roof tiles were stolen from one of the church roofs. Crime number 28034/24.

On 21st July damage was discovered inside St Kenelm's church in the village of Sapperton. Offenders have gained entry to the church and attacked the lock and surrounding wood panelling of the church safe. In this instance they were unable to remove the safe or its contents. Crime reference number 29297/24

If you see something suspicious in your town or village then you can rep[ort it here - Something you've seen or heard | Gloucestershire Constabulary. Clearly if that suspicious activity is going on and you believe that a crime is being committed then please call 999.

Thank you for your help.

Sgt Garrett Gloyn