Gang Robbed Nine Churches in Two Months
An organized gang stole from at least nine churches on the Island of Tenerife. The last incident occurred in the town of La Camella in the early hours of June 21, 2018. The perpetrators broke into the church, damaging the entrance door, and stole sacred objects and valuables worth at least 3000 euros. They were discovered by nuns who had been sleeping in rooms next door and had woken up when they heard a loud noise. The perpetrators fled the church and the incident was reported to the police. Local media suspected the robbery was carried out by the same gang that had attacked at least nine religious buildings on the island, including the church of San Mateo in Punta del Hidaglo, where they stole valuables worth 10,000 euros.
Most of the robberies have occurred in the municipalities of Candelaria, Guía de Isora, Icod de los Vinos and La Laguna. Assults have included the theft of the jewelery of the Virgen de los Dolores in the church of Barranco Hondo in Candelaria, the robbery of the parish of the Santisima Trinidad de Igueste, the theft of the image of the Virgen del Carmen of the chapel of Los Llanitos in Guía de Isora and the theft of the earrings of the Virgen de Nuestra Señora de La Candelaria.
Sources: aciprensa, La Opinion, Diario de Avisos and christianophobie.fr