Continue reading New figures reveal that churches were the scene of more than 10 crimes per day during the pandemic.
Out of 4,170 reports in 2017, 1,356 involved thefts or burglaries; 1,688 was criminal damage and 823 were violent attacks.
South East England is worst affected with 367 crime reports from Sussex Police, Kent 209 and the Met 575.
New figures show more than ten crimes a day were recorded at churches during the pandemic (file photo)
Police in Sussex recorded six cases of sexual assaults and one rape within churchyards.
Mo Metcalf-Fisher, of the Countryside Alliance, which compiled the figures, said it was ‘a grim reality that many churches are treated as easy targets by criminals’.