Theft of metal from UK church roofs drops to lowest level in six years according to a new report from Gloucester-based insurers Ecclesastical.
Statistics released today by the specialist church and heritage insurer reveal that there were over 930 insurance claims from Anglican churches in 2012 for theft of lead and other metals from the exterior of the building compared with over 2,600 claims in 2011 - the worst year on record.
The cost of claims fell from nearly £4.5 million in 2011 to £1.8 million in 2012.
The decline follows concerted efforts to deter criminals by the Government and a range of affected industries such as the utilities and transport sectors. Ecclesiastical also launched its own national campaign - Hands Off Our Church Roofs - in February 2012 to fit sophisticated electronic alarm systems on the roofs of Anglican churches in 42 mainland English dioceses.
Ecclesiastical launched the campaign by providing £500,000 to install alarms free of charge on some of the UK's churches most badly affected by metal theft.
John Coates, Ecclesiastical's director of church insurance, said: "These figures are hugely encouraging but it would be premature to predict the end of the epidemic of metal theft. 930 claims is still 930 claims too many. Metal theft incidents are still running well above levels seen in the 90s and early 2000s when metal theft was so infrequent we saw fewer than 10 church claims a year.
"There are still areas in the country where metal theft incidents are far too frequent. For example, according to our claims statistics the worst-affected areas for church metal theft in 2012 were Salisbury, Chelmsford, Winchester, Chichester and Birmingham dioceses.
"Even though the numbers are pointing in the right direction, it's going to take a concerted effort for years to come from businesses, politicians and law enforcement agencies to ensure our heritage is safe from these heartless, predatory criminals.
"The Government's move to ban cash payments for the sale of scrap metal has been a very positive one and MP Richard Ottaway's Scrap Metal Bill, which will reach committee stage in the House of Lords tomorrow (18th January), have also had a significant impact. But even as the law is tightening its grasp on this crime, churches cannot afford to let their guard down and we intend to continue making churches as difficult a target as possible for the opportunist metal thief."
The programme of installation of alarms funded by Ecclesiastical is 2/3 complete and a growing number of churches are looking to make their own investment in this form of security, inspired by the Hands Off Our Church Roofs campaign. In addition, Ecclesiastical has also helped churches fight metal theft by providing them with free SmartWater forensic marker liquid, which makes stolen metal traceable to its source.
