'We can't allow this to continue' say campaigners as 100 crimes recorded in South Yorkshire churches last year
Around 100 churches in South Yorkshire were targeted by criminals last year, as campaigners say places of worship are becoming ‘more vulnerable’ due to the actions of vandals.
Across the county, 98 crimes were recorded at churches between January 1 and December 30, 2025.
The region makes up just a fraction of the 3,809 crimes committed in places of worship across the country.
The new data comes from FOI (freedom of information) requests sent out to all 45 UK police forces by the campaign group Countryside Alliance.
Nationally, 58 lead and metal thefts were recorded, along with 1,561 other thefts and burglaries, 1,018 incidents of criminal damage, vandalism and arson, and 1,000 cases of violence.
Across the region, data shows there were 41 thefts, 27 cases of criminal damage and 30 cases of violence.
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The figures have spurred Countryside Alliance to call on greater funding to protect places of worship, with Mo Metcalf-Fisher, director of external affairs, saying: “Across the country, churches and places of worship continue to suffer, as vandals, thieves and other criminals treat them as easy targets.
"We cannot allow this to continue. Churches and places of worship are focal points for local communities, particularly in rural towns and villages where they play a crucial role in combatting isolation. It is vital that the public keep a watchful eye and report any issues to the police.
"At the same time as it appears crime is going up, funding is going down. The government has this year imposed VAT on church repairs, increasing costs for hard-pressed and vulnerable churches while at the same time refusing to increase funding in line with inflation. It is vital that the government drastically increases funding for churches, so that we can keep these hugely important community assets open and in use."
Last summer, families in Sheffield were heartbroken to discover that a number of headstones at the Sheffield City Council-managed Crookes cemetery had been vandalised and knocked off their pedestals.
However, the Dioceses of Sheffield said they have not noticed a particular rise in incidents compared to recent years.
The FOI data does not cover denominations of churches, and what police record as ‘church’ may not reflect active places of worship or sites managed by faiths like the Church of England.
A spokesperson for the local diocese adding: “We work closely with South Yorkshire Police when incidents do occur, and we support parishes in taking proportionate security measures where appropriate.”
The National Churches Trust said that on a wider scale these types of crimes are causing ‘chaos’ for restoration projects and leaving historic churches in peril, as they criticise government VAT plans.
Ben Sims, head of policy and public affairs at the historic preservation organisation, added: “The National Churches Trust welcomes this new report by the Countryside Alliance, which shows that a shocking 10 crimes a day were committed at UK churches last year. If volunteers are not supported, and if funding is not easily accessible, this is just one of many sad outcomes.
"Already this year the government has imposed VAT on 21,000 historic places of worship. By further demoralising volunteers, and causing chaos for ongoing restoration projects, this leads to churches becoming more vulnerable.
“We should be helping those who wish to safeguard our national heritage, not making their lives more difficult.”