Man arrested for church burglaries
Holy Trinity Church in Ripon, where �100 of cash was stolen.
Police investigating a spate of church burglaries in the Ripon area and beyond have arrested a man in connection with the offences.
Christopher John Coulthard, 50, from Warwickshire, was arrested in Humberside yesterday morning (Sunday).
He has been charged with five offences after a series of break-ins and attempted break-ins at Holy Trinity Church in Ripon, St Michael and All Angels Church in Littlethorpe, St Mary the Virgin Church in Masham, St Cuthbert and St Oswald Church in Winskley, near Kirkby Malzeard and St John’s Priory in nearby Easingwold.
Police have linked the crimes to other offences in Skipton and Leyburn.
The four churches in the Ripon area were targeted from February 14–17, with church doors broken and £100 of cash stolen.
Canon Michael Glanville-Smith, of St Michael and All Angels Church in Littlethorpe, told the Gazette: “Clearly it’s disturbing to think a church that is much loved in the community should be subject to something like this.”
Mr Coulthard is due to appear at Beverley Magistrates’ Court today (Monday).
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Saturday 18 May 2013
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