Mags Gargan
Photo: Freepik 
Parishioners have been urged to be pro-active in tackling thefts during Mass, by setting up parish patrols in church carparks.
There has been a spate of robberies in Co. Tyrone churches with cars being broken into during Mass in Strathroy, Carrickmore, Aughnacloy and Dromore in the last week and a similar attack in the carpark of St McCartan’s Church in Trillick during the vigil Mass on Saturday.
Following a similar series of robberies in churches in Co. Fermanagh last year, Knockninny parish came up with a novel approach to combat thieves preying on Massgoers’ cars.
Over 70 parishioners have volunteered to patrol the two church carparks during church services to deter potential thieves. A supervision rota has been in place since November, with a pair of volunteers in hi-vis jackets patrolling each carpark during every Mass.
Volunteers
“The rota is rigidly observed and we have had no break-ins since it began,” Fr Fintan McKiernan PP told The Irish Catholic. “We had no trouble getting volunteers and they are out there in all weather.”
Fr McKiernan said the recent series of robberies in Tyrone has “reinforced the conviction here for the need for [the patrols] and there is no reason why it wouldn’t work in other parishes”. “It is just a question of asking for volunteers and it is in their own interest to do it,” he said.
The Fermanagh & Omagh District Commander of the PSNI, Superintendent Derek Scott said that although the targeting of church carparks thefts “may have been perpetrated by local criminals”, “there is a possibility that these could be the work of travelling criminals who travel through the area and target vehicles”. He warned Massgoers that “nothing of value should be kept in cars particularly when it can be seen”.
