Appeal For Information After Eight Church Buildings Targeted Throughout Caerphilly Borough

Gwent Police are appealing for information after a recent sharp spike in burglaries at church, chapel and church hall buildings. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

From mid-May to date, eight locations within the Caerphilly area, including Risca, Blackwood and Bargoed have been targeted, including: ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Sometime between Monday 9th May 2016 (from 4pm) to Tuesday 10th May 2016 (at 6.15pm) Crosskeys Pentecostal Church, Gladstone Street in Crosskeys was broken into, the door was forced open and cash was also stolen. (Log 405 -10/05/16) ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Sometime between Thursday 5th May and Tuesday 17th May 2016, St Catherine’s Church, Gladstone Street, Crosskeys was broken into, fortunately nothing was stolen. (Log 126 – 17/05/16) ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Sometime on Saturday 4th June 2016, the Pentecostal Church, Golden Grove, Newbridge was broken into when the UPVC door was forced open, fortunately nothing was stolen. (Log 182 – 04/06/16) ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Sometime between Friday 3rd June 2016 (10pm) and Saturday 4th June (5.30pm) St Thomas’ Church, Waun Borfa Road, Cefn Fforest, was broken into, fortunately nothing was stolen. (Log 138 – 04/06/16) ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Sometime on Saturday 4th June 2016, there was an attempted break at Horeb Baptist Chapel, Sastle Hill, Gelligaer. A wooden panel was put through, fortunately nothing was stolen. (Log 396 – 07/06/16) ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Sometime between Tuesday 14th June (8.30pm) and Wednesday 15th June (8.30am), St Margaret’s Church, High Street, Blackwood was broken into. Nothing was stolen but approximately £10,000 worth of damage was caused to the church. (Log 63 – 25/06/16) ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Sometime between Sunday 12th June (1pm) and Wednesday 15th June 2016 (9.30am), St David’s Church, St David’s Road, Pengam was broken into when the rear door was forced open and cash was stolen. (Log 94 – 16/06/16) ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Sometime around Wednesday 15th June, Caersalem Chapel, Bedwellty road, Aberbargoed was broken into when a wooden door was forced open. Fortunately, nothing was stolen. (Log 148 – 15/06/16) ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Detective Inspector Amanda Thomas said: “These are crimes on our community and these unscrupulous attacks of damage and theft will not be tolerated. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“In some cases nothing has been stolen, but these criminals have caused damage to the building, including items and furniture within, which is not only costly but sometimes irreplaceable. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“We’re keen to hear from witnesses or anyone who may have seen anything out of character in these areas over the last few weeks, if this is you, please call 101, quoting the log number or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“We’re now investigating each of these incidents and extra patrols have now been put in place by uniformed and plain clothed officers but I’d like to remind people living in the community to remain vigilant and always report any suspicious activity on 101 and if you see a crime taking place, ring 999 immediately.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​