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 Alliance, said: “Across the country, churches and places of worship continue to suffer, as vandals, thieves and other criminals treat them as easy targets.
“We cannot allow this to continue. Churches and places of worship are focal points for local communities, particularly in rural towns and villages where they play a crucial role in combatting isolation. It is vital that the public keep a watchful eye and report any issues to the police.”
He also warned that financial pressures are compounding the issue. “At the same time as it appears crime is going up, funding is going down. The government has this year imposed VAT on church repairs, increasing costs for hard-pressed and vulnerable churches while at the same time refusing to increase funding in line with inflation. It is vital that the government drastically increases funding for churches, so that we can keep these hugely important community assets open and in use.”
The data includes incidents that underline both the financial and cultural impact of such crimes, including the theft of £25,000 worth of historic silverware from a parish church and the destruction of historic stained glass, leaving repair bills running into thousands of pounds.
The National Churches Trust said the figures demonstrate the growing strain on those responsible for maintaining historic places of worship.
Ben Sims, Head of Policy and Public Affairs at the trust, said, “The National Churches Trust welcomes this new report by the Countryside Alliance, which shows that a shocking ten crimes a day were committed at UK churches last year. If volunteers are not supported, and if funding is not easily accessible, this is just one of many sad outcomes.
“Already this year the government has imposed VAT on 21,000 historic places of worship. By further demoralising volunteers, and causing chaos for ongoing restoration projects, this leads to churches becoming more vulnerable. We should be helping those who wish to safeguard our national heritage, not making their lives more difficult.”
Police leaders have also stressed the impact on communities, particularly where churches form a central part of local life. Deputy Chief Constable Rachel Nolan, heritage crime lead for the National Police Chiefs’ Council, said: “As the policing lead for heritage crime, I’m acutely aware of the impact it can have on communities. Crime and anti social behaviour targeting our heritage can be targeted or simply thoughtless, but the harm can still be significant. Crimes impacting churches are one of the most common reports impacting our heritage.”
She added, “I would encourage anyone to report suspicious activity, no matter how minor it may seem, whether that’s around churches themselves, which are often in isolated locations, or around unusual metal or stone that may have come from church or heritage sites.”
The findings raise fresh concerns about the vulnerability of rural churches, where isolation, limited resources and rising costs are leaving vital community spaces increasingly exposed to crime.
( Picture: Pulman's Weekly News 📸 )