Thieves have ransacked a Dundee church causing thousands of pounds worth of damage even raiding its kitchen for tea bags.
Criminals broke into Coldside Parish Church in the dead of night, pillaging numerous rooms in the complex before making off with an eclectic haulincluding flat-screen televisions and part of a sound system.
The raiders also tore their way through dozens of charity shoeboxes destined for the poor of Romania.
Shocked members of the congregation discovered the crime after they went to open the recently-renovated church hall for community events on Monday morning.
The Rev Tony Thornthwaite described the break-in as “bizarre” and “disappointing”.
He told The Courier: “We do things here for the community.It is so disappointing that this has happened. The building is getting used a lot and we really do as much as we can.
“It is going to make life a bit moredifficult for a while.”
Police are now hunting those behind the raid, which took place between 9.30pm on Sunday and 8am on Monday.
The criminals broke into the church hall before ransacking the entirebuilding, including smashing their way through a door into the body of the kirk, scattering glass shards in front of the altar.
Several high-value goods were taken, including two flat-screen televisions,valued at hundreds of pounds, as well as part of the church’s sound system and a laminator.
The raiders also ransacked the church’s kitchen, stealing teabags and a bin, as well as flinging polystyrene cups around the room.
“It is bizarre,” Mr Thornthwaite said.“We host lots of events in the facility, it is really used by the community. We were meant to have one with NHSTayside that we’ve now had to cancel.
“We also host the R&R caf here, which has been really successful, and are opening a community caf too. It is just a very disappointing thing to have happen.”
A spokeswoman for Police Scotland, Tayside Division, said: “We received a report of a break-in at Coldside Parish Church between 9.30pm on Sunday and 8am on Monday.
“A number of items were taken and officers are currently investigating. Anyone with any information is asked to contact Police Scotland on 101 or speak to any officer.”