According to a Watertown police report, a golden cross, gold-plated books of the Bible and a safe were stolen from the Taxiarchae/Archangels Greek Orthodox Church.
The burglary took place in the early hours of March 27, and the burglars managed to break into the church through a window on the boiler room door. The cleaner who arrived in the morning called the police immediately.
Lt. Michael Lawn assumed the thieves were drug addicts. “That’s what’s happening out there. Everyone is stealing gold and cashing it in. They saw the chalices and gold-plated bibles, and grabbed them. It’s pretty desperate when you’re going into the church and stealing things like this, ” Lawn said.
Rev. Fr. Demetrios E. Tonias, the pastor, said that the sentimental value of the stolen items, many of which were donated to the church by families to honor their ancestors, is far more important. The pastor also said that he is praying for the culprits. “We pray for everyone, even for the individual who did this, we would pray for them and whatever brought them to this. It’s sad for them as well. No one should be brought to this kind of situation to come to a place of worship and feel you have to take things,” he said.
See all the latest news from Greece and the world at Greekreporter.com. Contact our newsroom to report an update or send your story, photos and videos. Follow GR on Google News and subscribe here to our daily email!
