Church needs to change locks

Posted on 24 September 2008

A church in Eastbourne has been forced to change its locks after being raided by thieves, it has been reported.

St. Mary's Church, in Hailsham town centre, was the target of a burglary which saw a safe containing a master set of keys along with 18th-century silver and wedding records, according to the Eastbourne Herald.

It is thought the criminals smashed through three internal doors after forcing their way through the main entrance of the building to steal one of the two safes in the church.

The burnt-out safe was later recovered with the wedding records and silverware still inside, although the set of keys, along with around £8 in cash, was missing.

Vicar David Bourne told the newspaper: "I don't know the condition of the silver at the moment and the police will be able to tell us if the records can be restored.

"It has caused us an enormous amount of work. We have had to change all the locks."

Police revealed the incident occurred over the night of September 16th and suggested the thieves avoided the town's CCTV by escaping via the rear of the church.

Last week, the Wiltshire Gazette and Herald reported that the Star Inn in Hullavington fitted new door and window locks after a recent break in.