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Church break-in 'may be linked' to spate of city centre burglaries

David Wilson
BBC News NI
BBC An Anglican rector stands in front of an old church. he is wearing a blue shirt and darker blue jacket. the church building can be seen behind him through iron railingsBBC
Rev Nigel Cairns said the church is a "sacred and holy place"

Intruders who broke in and ransacked a hall attached to one of Londonderry's most historic churches are on "the wrong side of morality", the church rector has said.

The hall at the 153-year-old St Augustine's Church on the city's walls – thought to be the site of a 6th Century monastery - was broken into at about 22:30 BST on Wednesday.

"I don't imagine whoever did this thought they were violating a sacred site," Rev Nigel Cairns told BBC News NI, adding that "perhaps the motive was just to get what they could".

Police said a 34-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of burglary and the church hall break-in may be linked to a number of recent burglaries in Derry's city centre.

A red brick old style building, formerly a school now used as a church hall. it is made of red brick with five large windows. An arch can be seen with the lettering St Augustines Church
The church hall, once a schoolhouse, now houses a café

"I don't know the backstory to whoever did this and don't want to jump to any conclusions, but it is wrong, it is the wrong side of the law, it is the wrong side of morality," Rev Cairns added.

Built in 1872, the hall was once the site of a schoolhouse connected to the church, which is believed to be the site of St Columba's first monastery, founded in the year 545.

"This is a holy and sacred place," Rev Cairns said.

"Anyone who comes here say, they would have a deep sense of spirituality, be that Christian or any other visitor who comes through the gates."

A full assessment of the damage will only happen, he said, when police allow church staff back into the hall.

A sign sits in the rounds of the church,
St Augustine's sits on Derry's walls and is thought to be the site of a 6th Century monastery

The church rector and one of the parishioners went to the church late on Wednesday night after being alerted by police.

"We discovered the main door had been broken, and the inside door pushed through," the rector said.

"Whoever was responsible had gone into the church hall, into what we call the Canon Howe room, where the church café is based," Rev Cairns said, adding that the room and store were "ransacked".

"As a Christian minister, who is a steward of a sacred and holy site here in the city, this is just not nice," he saud.

"There is a cash register there connected with the café and all of that whole area has been ransacked.

"But there is no money in the cash register or on site," Rev Cairns said.

Derry burglaries 'may be linked'

Police said the church hall break-in is one of a number of reported burglaries in Derry over recent days.

In two other incidents, cash was taken from commercial premises.

The first happened on the Strand Road sometime between 18:30 on 4 May and midnight the following day.

The next happened between 01:00 and 07:00 on Wednesday in Waterloo Place, with money taken and damage caused to the premises.

One line of enquiry, the PSNI spokeswoman said, is that the burglaries are linked.

Police have appealed for anyone with information to come forward.