POLICE say a thief who struck at Ledbury Parish Church last week may have been responsible for another theft at the same church, last August.

This time, however, police have a great deal of CCTV footage to inspect.

Church officials recently took the decision to install cameras, after the incident last summer, and separate incidents of vandalism at St Michael and All Angels.

The cameras last Thursday (March 16) even captured a possible suspect cycling off on a bike with straight handlebars and a pannier on the back.

Before entering the church, this middle-aged man had parked his bike in the church porch.

Church warden, Ian James said: "He looked straight into a camera on one occasion. We virtually have it all on CCTV.

"He had obviously planned it and knew where he was going, as if he had been there before."

Mr James added: "You don't steal from a church unless you are a pretty sad individual. He didn't look a a tramp, but we don't know what his needs are."

Mr James said the intruder went to a wall safe where money is stored from book sales. He broke into the safe and took money "but not a great deal" because the safe had been emptied recently.

The intruder also broke into a money box for votive candles and stole some candles, and he inspected the envelopes in the church pigeon-holes by holding them up to the light, to see if they contained any money.

Mr James said he did not believe any envelopes had money in them, but the suspect took several envelopes all the same.

Detective Constable Laurence James said of the latest incident: "It could have been the same individual on a previous occasion. It must be someone quite desperate."

The latest theft at the church took place on Thursday March 16, between noon and 3.30pm, according to the police statement, although church officials say the time was actually between 2pm and 2.30pm. The church was unstaffed at the time.

A police spokesman said: "A male has been seen in the area at the relevant time who is described as a middle aged, wearing an orange high visibility waist coat and flat cap carrying a small rucksack."

PCSO David Alexander added: “It is disappointing that a heartless individual would steal money that local parishioners had kindly donated to the church. Thankfully, it is hoped that not much cash was taken. We are now working to identify the offender and ask that if anyone saw anything suspicious in or around the church last week that they call us on 101, quoting incident number 139s, registered on March 17."

Police say the theft is not linked to recent incidents of vandalism in the area, which is believed to involve a group of local young people.

Police had not released CCTV images from the latest incident at the time of going to press.

Last August, a thief at Ledbury Parish Church chiselled open the metal donations box, for votive candles, and stole approximately £50 in cash.