'Low-life' thieves raid church donations

PICTURESQUE: All Saints' Anglican Church in Waiorongomai has been raided. PHOTOS/FILE

The custodians of a South Wairarapa church are disgusted thieves have stooped to raiding their donation box.

Charlie Matthews, of Waiorongomai Station, said his wife, Karla, discovered the theft last Friday when she went into the All Saints' Church on Western Lake Rd to do some regular maintenance.

Mr Matthews said it was the first time the church, which is usually left open, had been robbed.

"It's pretty disgusting that someone would rob a church."

"It's a bunch of low lifes that would steal from a church. No-one is happy about it. There wouldn't have been much money there - but it's the thought of going into a church and robbing a donation box."

He was unsure of how much money was in the box, but believed it was unlikely to have been much.

"I'm not sure what people's mentality is to go in and rob a church."

Mr Matthews' family have been in South Wairarapa for seven generations and the church was built in the 1930s, with funds left by an ancestor, Alfred Matthews.

Although the church was built by the Matthews family and is on their land, it is a resource for the whole community, with four scheduled services a year and various weddings and funerals held there, Mr Matthews said.

It is also popular with visitors as it lies on the Rimutaka cycle trail.

Despite the theft, Mr Matthews still plans to keep the church, which he describes as "a nice little church out in the country", open to the public.

"The church has always been open to the public because that's what we want to do, but it makes us question how things work ... where we go from here I'm not exactly sure."

"There's thousands of people that have used it compared to the one or two that robbed it."

The Vicar of All Saints' Archdeacon May Croft said although the theft was probably committed by an opportunist, it was still upsetting. "It's kind of like a bit of a violation. It's a bit of a shock when someone does that."

She said it was the second recent theft in the parish, with the copper spouting on the church in Featherston being stolen last year.

"You just feel that the place has been violated - and it's upsetting for the older members of the congregation."

Senior Sergeant Mike Sutton said the incident had been reported to police, who were still making enquiries.

Anyone with information can call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111, or Masterton police on 06 3700378.