Local churches nearby Grantham hit by lead theft epidemic

Lead has been stolen from the roof of a village church - and could cost more than £50,000 to repair and restore.

The theft of lead from the roof of St Andrew's Church in Pickworth, on January 9, is the third such crime in the area in the last two months.

Lead was also stolen from the roof of St. Peter’s Church in Threekingham before Christmas, while St Andrew’s Church in Billingborough’s roof was plundered in early December.

Without a permanent roof, the priceless medieval artwork within the churches, dating back to the 14th century, is at risk of serious water damage. The overall repairs and restorations to Pickworth church could cost in excess of £50,000.

Both the Threekingham and Pickworth churches are part of the parish of South Lafford. The interim minister of the parish the Rev Cameron Watts said: “There has been a huge spate of it over part of this last year. It is a serious epidemic of metal theft.

"Thirty-five church roofs in the historic county of Lincolnshire were affected last year. You can see similar incidents happening in Yorkshire and Cambridgeshire.”

“It’s terribly sad. These people are attacking our heritage, and they are attacking our rural way of life. It makes people feel unsafe in their own homes. It’s devastating."

The rev Watts said the community are "rallying around and doing whatever they can."

Online fund-raising and crowdfunding campaigns have been set up in a bid to raise money towards the repairs.

He added: “People are calling this a victimless crime. It’s not.

"We keep looking forward. We prayed for the people who did this. For the circumstances that have forced them into stealing.

“This is not a time for anger, but a time for understanding and for the world to be a better place for everyone.”

Lincolnshire Police is looking into a potential link between the thefts of lead from church roofs.

Chief inspector of Lincolnshire police, Phil Vickers, said: “Clearly there are striking similarities between the offences and other thefts that occurred at local churches last year – part of the investigation is looking at whether the same offender/s may have been involved.”

“We are seeking vigilance from rural communities, particularly those who live near our churches and in remote locations – if you see or hear something suspicious, particularly overnight, please call us on 999.”

“It is quite possible that church premises may be visited by offenders during daylight to identify vulnerabilities – again, please report suspicious behaviour to Lincolnshire Police, we would much rather attend than risk damage to our rural heritage.”

When a permanent roof is restored to the affected churches, an alternative material, terne-coated steel, will potentially be used to deter further acts of theft. The stainless steel alloy will be harder to steal than lead and holds less scrap value.

The JustGiving page is: https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/pickworth-village-church-standrews