Shock at south Warwickshire church after theft of altar cross
A CHURCH warden says he is ‘surprised and shocked’ after a crucifix that has been on the altar for almost a century, was stolen.
The 2ft-high brass cross was gifted to All Saints in Preston Bagot by a parishioner in 1931. It’s been central to worship at the church through the decades, until it went missing 10 days ago.
Church warden Hugh Carslake, who lives in Preston Bagot, told the Herald the crucifix, although important to the congregation, was not valuable and would not fetch much money if re-sold or melted down for scrap.
He said: “The church is open from 8.30am to 6.30pm, so there was always a risk people would walk in and take things but we don’t leave valuables out.
“If the cross had been solid gold, I might have more sympathy if it was stolen by someone who’s really hard-up but it’s not going to help them. But then again, if it was solid gold, we would never have left it there in the first place.”
He added: “We recently had the cross professionally cleaned and polished, so I can only think that someone saw it and believed it to be more valuable than it is.
“But I’d be surprised if they could get any reputable antique dealers to pay them anything for it.”
Mr Carslake also revealed that the last time the crucifix was professionally cleaned, the stick was taken out of the base and a piece of paper with the initials ‘PB’ for Preston Bagot was hidden inside.
“At least that will make it possible to identify our cross, should it be found,” he explained.
Meanwhile, the congregation may switch to a wooden cross to replace the missing brass one as buying a new one will cost too much.
The church warden also said it is not too late for whoever took it to return the crucifix, if they have had second thoughts.
The theft has been reported to police.
Mr Carslake added: “The main reaction here has been surprise and shock. Surprise because it’s not a thing of great value so whoever took it, even if they are in financial straits, it’s not going to help them.”
All Saints stayed open throughout the pandemic and provided comfort to many, he said and will continue to be accessible, despite the theft.
“The church is on a well-used path and many people tell us how nice it is to find a church open to provide comfort,” he added.
