Religious groups urged to join in anti-theft scheme

CHURCH and mosque leaders across West Yorkshire are being urged to join a police-backed scheme to combat the theft of metal and stone from their places of worship.

West Yorkshire Police are working to set up Faith Watch schemes across the county to improve security against thieves on the look out for lead, copper, and stone. Hundreds of churches have been targeted in recent years as the value of scrap metal has soared.

Today Leeds Police will meet with local worshippers at Headingley Stadium to talk about the benefits of forming a Faith Watch scheme.

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Representatives will have the opportunity to become part of a wider faith community network and will share information with the rest of the local area so they have the opportunity to act on it and prevent or detect crime.

Inspector Richard Cawkwell of North West Leeds Police said: "Any religious building, whether it is a church or a mosque, is an establishment for all of the community. Theft or any crime against a religious building does not just affect those at the place of worship but affects the wider community.

"Metal and lead theft is becoming an increasing problem in West Yorkshire and a large proportion of these are from religious buildings.

"We urge members of the faith communities to join their local Faith Watch scheme and work together and share information with each other to ensure their local church or mosque is not an easy target for thieves."

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In Leeds police have been working with 17 of their local churches, mosques and gurdwaras (Sikh meeting places) across Morley, Hunslet, Woodkirk and Beeston, to form a Faith Watch group.

Steps are now being taken to improve the security of several of the buildings.

Inspector Damien Miller of City and Holbeck police said: "Faith Watch is an excellent way for our local places of worship to protect themselves from criminals who have no regard for those who wish to practice their religion. Our Faith Watch scheme is working well with information being circulated regularly and I encourage all local worshippers to do the same and sign up."

Other Faith Watch schemes are to be launched across the rest of the force area over the next few months.