Theft of Religious Antiques Stirs Fears
The theft of a 14th century stone font from the chapel of Usk Castle in south Wales, coming a month after the theft of a 15th century statue of the Virgin Mary from Prinknash Abbey just 30 miles to the east in England, has aroused fears that a gang of thieves may be at work stealing ecclesiastical antiques to order for foreign collectors.
It is “very unusual” for a font to be stolen, said Nick Tolson, director of Churchwatch, an organization that advises churches and congregations on how to keep their treasures safe.
“It is usually property that can’t be identified as ecclesiastical,” he told Religion News Service.
Tolson estimated that churches lost about 2,000 items last year to thieves, compared with the theft of only 42 from the country’s museums.
According to Tolson, the best way for churches to protect property is to photograph and record items and to put identifying microdots on them.
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