Gardaí recover valuable haul as thieves target 17 churches across four counties

THIEVES are now targeting churches and grottos.

In the past three weeks, 17 churches reported the theft of such items as gold and brass-plated candle sticks, collection boxes, bowls, vases, holy pictures and linen altar cloths.

The targeted churches included Newmarket, Meelin, Rockchapel, Ballydesmond, Kiskeam, Cullen, Lismire, Castlemagnier, Knocknagree, Lisgriffen, Liscarroll and Ballyhea, which are all in Cork.