10 crimes a day against UK churches, reports Countryside Alliance

Thousands of crimes were committed against church properties in 2025, the Countryside Alliance has reported. 

There were 3,637 instances of theft, burglary, criminal damage, vandalism and assault recorded between 1 January and 31 December 2025, with a further 172 crimes belonging to different categories that brought the entire recorded crimes to three,809.

Thefts and burglaries accounted for 1,619 of the recorded incidents, including 58 lead and metal thefts, while criminal damage including vandalism and arson made up 1,018 of the incidents. There were 1,000 cases of violence.

The figures amount to 10 crimes a day being perpetrated at UK churches. 

The data comes from Freedom of Information (FOI) requests to the UK’s 45 territorial police forces, 37 of which responded. 

The Countryside Alliance said the issue was “undoubtedly” worse as Thames Valley Police, Derbyshire Police, Cheshire Police,  Avon & Somerset Police, Durham Police, Hampshire & Isle of Wight Police and Police Scotland didn’t provide any figures in response to the requests. 

The worst-hit areas were London, with 531 crimes recorded by the Metropolitan Police and a further 30 by City of London Police, followed by West Yorkshire with 445 recorded crimes, and Greater Manchester with 172 recorded crimes.

Mo Metcalf-Fisher, Director of External Affairs on the Countryside Alliance, said: “Across the country, churches and places of worship proceed to suffer, as vandals, thieves and other criminals treat them as easy targets.

“We cannot allow this to proceed. Churches and places of worship are focal points for local communities, particularly in rural towns and villages where they play an important role in combatting isolation. It is important that the general public keep a watchful eye and report any issues to the police.

“At the identical time because it appears crime goes up, funding is taking place. The government has this yr imposed VAT on church repairs, increasing costs for hard-pressed and vulnerable churches while at the identical time refusing to extend funding in step with inflation. It is important that the federal government drastically increases funding for churches, in order that we will keep these hugely essential community assets open and in use.”

Recorded crimes included the theft of £25,000 value of historic silverware from St Margaret of Antioch Church in Barley, Hertfordshire and the destruction of historic stained glass at St Mary and St Martin, Blyth, Nottinghamshire, costing hundreds of kilos to switch. The perpetrators not only kicked within the stained glass but overturned furniture and scrawled graffiti contained in the constructing and damaged the altar cross.

Ben Sims, Head of Policy and Public Affairs on the National Churches Trust, said, “The National Churches Trust welcomes this latest report by the Countryside Alliance, which shows that a shocking ten crimes a day were committed at UK churches last yr. If volunteers should not supported, and if funding isn’t easily accessible, that is just one in all many sad outcomes.

“Already this yr the federal government has imposed VAT on 21,000 historic places of worship. By further demoralising volunteers, and causing chaos for ongoing restoration projects, this results in churches becoming more vulnerable. We ought to be helping those that want to safeguard our national heritage, not making their lives tougher.”

Deputy Chief Constable Rachel Nolan, National Police Chiefs’ Council Lead for Heritage Crime said: “As the policing lead for heritage crime, I’m conscious about the impact it could actually have on communities.  Crime and anti social behaviour targeting our heritage might be targeted or just thoughtless, however the harm can still be significant.  Crimes impacting churches are one of the crucial common reports impacting our heritage.”

She added, “I’d encourage anyone to report suspicious activity, regardless of how minor it could seem, whether that’s around churches themselves, which are sometimes in isolated locations, or around unusual metal or stone which will have come from church or heritage sites.”