Cross and artefacts stolen from Limpopo church

Church members said they found the door wide open when they arrived at the church on Sunday, Capricorn Review reported.

This was one of a number of churches aimed at by thieves in the area this week. The Anglican Church, about 5km from the Roman Catholic Church, also had a number of artefacts stolen.

Saint Paul’s Apostolic Faith Mission had been broken into on Monday evening. Church members said when they arrived at the church on Tuesday morning, they were alerted when the lock at the gate was missing and the doors to other rooms at the church were broken open.

“We noticed the lock at the gate was missing. It was strange because we locked the gate when we went out on Monday afternoon,” said church caretaker Elias Mamogobo.

“Upon further investigations we discovered that some of the door handles of the rooms within the premises were tampered with. Thugs had broken open the door to the kitchen. However, they did not take anything. All was still where we left it the previous day. They failed to break their way into the church itself. We could not believe thieves could go so far as to steal from a holy place.”

Provincial police spokesperson Colonel Ronél Otto said police viewed the burglaries in a serious light.

Otto urged residents to safeguard their property. She added police were intensifying operations on secondhand dealers and scrapyards to curb crime.

Last September, police launched a manhunt for two men who allegedly robbed a church in Welkom, Free State.

“Police in Welkom are looking for two neatly dressed men after a church was robbed of cash,” said Constable Kethabile Mofokeng.

The robbery allegedly took after the church caretaker opened the building. They entered the church and held an employee at gunpoint. Three people were tied up with cable ties and cash was demanded. A case of armed robbery was opened.

– Caxton News Service