CHURCHES in Accrington have become the target of thieves after a spate of break-ins.

St James Church, in Kirk Church, has been targeted three times in five weeks, with the burglars entering through the stained glass windows of the church each time. The latest incident happened between noon on Sunday and 8am on Monday.

The thieves broke into the collection box, which was empty, but during the previous raid £40 was stolen from it.

Hyndburn councillor John Broadley, who is also a warden at the church, said: "There's a lot of expense involved because they are old windows with a lot of history. We are taking provisions to make the place safer.

"We are putting extra locks on the doors and we are probably going to put a security system in.

"If they are caught I would make them undertake community jobs like cleaning the church. They are evil. If they have no respect for the sanctity of the church, they have no respect for anything."

Father Neville Ashton, vicar at the church, said: "It's a disgrace but that's the world we live in. People don't have respect for anything any more.

"They have done extensive damage to the windows and it's going to cost a lot of money to repair them. We are insured but it's a case of how long the insurance company will put up with it."

A police spokesman said: "There has been a spate of burglaries in the Accrington area.

"While there have been significant reductions in some areas, there needs to be some focus in Accrington as they are the ones being targeted."

At St Peter's Church, in Richmond Street, Accrington, thieves removed the slates from the roof and smashed their way through the ceiling to get in after failing to get in through the plate glass window.

The intruders failed to get into a safe inside the church but caused £2,500-worth of damage to the windows and roof.

Warden Derrick Brockbank discovered the break-in, which happened on the eve of hallowe'en, the next morning.

"It's absolutely terrible but the trouble is if they are caught the punishment is not enough," he said.