Police arrested a man at the scene of a break-in at Beverley Minster on the night of Wednesday 2nd September.
Thieves broke in to the Minster at around 8pm by kicking in a newly-restored window panel. They then smashed the top of a donations box and stole the small amount of money that had been left in it overnight.
However, the Minster’s security system immediately alerted the police to the break-in and one of the thieves was caught on site and arrested.
The Rev. Jeremy Fletcher, Vicar of Beverley Minster said the theft and damage to the church was an occasion of great sadness.”
“A church like the Minster belongs to the whole community, so an attack like this hurts everyone. Our visitors give generously and their money was targeted.”
“Our staff use their skills to restore the building, and their work has been carelessly kicked in, while our congregation this morning was shocked to see the damage to a place of worship and peace.”
“The Minster is secured by a very good alarm, and the security firm and police always respond very quickly indeed. Our donation boxes are emptied regularly so thousands of pounds worth of damage has therefore taken place for no gain at all.”
“I am relieved that an individual was detained, and our thoughts will be with someone who was clearly so desperate and wrong minded. Though I am angry at the damage that has been done, I want to pray that something better will come out of it all, especially for the person concerned.”
