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PROTECTING YOUR CHURCH FROM METAL THEFT
ECCLESIASTICAL Insurance’s Risk Management Director Jo Whyman talks about metal theft, the challenges it presents churches and how you can prevent your church from becoming an easy target for thieves.
Theft of metal is an ongoing challenge, and unfortunately one that has affected churches in particular. Data compiled by the Office for National Statistics estimates that metal crime costs the UK an average of £370million, with almost 16,000 instances of metal theft in 2019 alone.
Putting aside the irreplaceable loss of heritage, the financial loss arising from thefts goes beyond the cost of just replacing the stolen metal. Damage to stonework caused during the course of the theft can be significant, as well as water damage to internal furnishings if it rains before the theft of roof coverings is discovered. The impact it can have on church communities can’t be overstated either, with a significant
emotional as well as financial impact on all involved.
In recent years we have seen instances of lead and copper roof coverings, including bay window roofs and roof flashings, copper lightning conductors, lead and copper rainwater pipes, bronze statues, metal garden ornaments, iron gates and even church bells all being stolen. Increased demand for metals, together with speculative investment in base metals by financial investors, has meant the rewards for thieves are high. As a result thieves are becoming increasingly organised, often operating in gangs, and bold in their attacks on properties.
This has seen a significant reduction in opportunistic theft of lead from churches, with thieves now targeting larger, more lucrative hauls of metal. While the number of claims received by Ecclesiastical reduced in 2019 compared to 2018, the average claim reported for metal theft from churches rose by almost 5%.
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