Report by Duncan Williams for Pulman's Weekly News
Churches in rural communities are increasingly at risk from crime, with new figures revealing an average of ten offences a day targeting places of worship across the UK.
Data compiled by the Countryside Alliance recorded 3,809 crimes against church properties in 2025, including theft, burglary, vandalism and assault.
Of these, 1,619 incidents involved theft or burglary – including 58 cases of lead and metal theft – while 1,018 were linked to criminal damage such as vandalism and arson. A further 1,000 cases involved violence.
The figures, based on Freedom of Information requests to 45 territorial police forces, are likely to underestimate the true scale of the problem, as only 37 forces provided data.
The Countryside Alliance said the findings highlight a growing threat to churches, particularly those in smaller towns and villages, where buildings are often more isolated.
Mo Metcalf-Fisher, Director of External Affairs at the Countryside A…
