Bell thief silences church, but he's dropped a clanger

Christine Scott didn't know St Bride's bell was gone until she went to ring it for a service and found only the clapper. Photo / Christine Cornege

The vicar at an Otorohanga parish says she's willing to forgive but still can't believe someone would steal her church's historic 300-year-old bell and try to sell it for $435.

Police believe the thief has left them enough clues - including security camera images - to give them a good chance of arresting him.

The Rev Christine Scott last rang the bell just before the St Bride's Anglican Church's 10am service on Sunday.

She didn't notice it was missing until she went to ring it for the Wednesday service.

"I looked up and the bell wasn't there. I couldn't believe it... my reaction was probably unprintable," she said.

The 75kg bronze bell was taken some time between Sunday and Wednesday but was found yesterday - at a scrap metal yard in Auckland.

The antique is known as the Pembroke Bell after HMS Pembroke, the ship it was mounted on when cast in 1694.

While Ms Scott said it was "irreplaceable" and had enormous value to the 190 families at the parish and the wider Otorohanga community, an insurance company put its value at $5000, while the thief who sold it to a scrap metal yard in Hamilton on Tuesday got $435 for it.

It was sent to Auckland for recycling but staff at the yard realised it was stolen after media reports and called police.

Ms Scott was saddened thieves were now targeting churches, particularly to steal copper spouting - which can fetch up to $7.50 a kg at some yards.

A scrap metal dealer in Hamilton said yesterday the going price for bronze was about $5 a kilogram.

"It's a really sad thing and I guess it's an indictment on the way our society is going," said Ms Scott.

"The respect doesn't seem to be the same as when I was growing up."

Sergeant Andy Connors of Otorohanga said police security camera images had given them a suspect, and they were looking for a local man.

Details scrap metal dealers were required to take of people selling them goods would also give clues..

"So we have a fairly positive line of inquiry to follow," he said.

Ms Scott expects the bell to be back at the church some time today but doubts it will be hung in its normal place outside the front door for some time.

"We're still deciding what to do and where it will go but it's obvious it can't be rehung there for now until we can sort out a way to stop it being taken."

Ms Scott said she was hopeful both she and church members could sit down with the culprit so the person had a chance to explain.

"They may end up in jail but it would be good for the victims to say how they feel directly to the person."