Vicar’s warning after OAP robbed at church service

Aug 22 2007 by Liam Murphy, Liverpool Daily Post

A VICAR from Wirral has warned parishioners to be on their guard after an 80-year-old churchgoer was targeted by thieves at a Sunday service.

The woman was in a pew at the Rock Ferry United Reformed Church, Rock Lane West, as she is every week, when two strangers sat behind and struck up a conversation with her. The men asked about the order of service and talked about the hymn books to distract her while they slid her handbag out from under her seat, and then left.

The bag contained cash and a pendant depicting St Christopher, which is of great sentimental value.

The Rev Graham Mercer, who took the service, has warned other churches to be on their guard against thieves.

Mr Mercer, said: “If they do it once, they will do it again and all local churches need to be on their guard.

“People should be wary of anyone who comes in late and vanishes before the last hymn has finished.”

Acting Inspector Rachel Wilson, of Merseyside police, said: “This is obviously not a nice thing to happen to anyone but people going to Sunday service do not expect to become victims of crime in church.

“We know there were at least 20 people in the service and if we haven’t spoken to them already, I would encourage any other members of the congregation to come forward.

“The victim has had a fright but is not physically hurt. That she was targeted in church, where she thought she would be safe, has come as a very big shock.”

Both thieves were white and were thought to be in their late 20s.