Members of St Helen's Parish Church in Treeton, South Yorkshire, have been left furious after police let off three masked men caught in the act of stealing lead from the ancient church.
St Helen's, which is mentioned in the Domesday Book, has suffered 10 lead thefts in 10 months, amounting to £100,000 worth of lead taken from the church's roof and clock tower.
Yet when three men wearing balaclavas and masks were caught by police on the roof of the church last Sunday, police let them off with a caution because they believed that they were just admiring the view, reports the Daily Mail.
Police cited "insufficient evidence", as the men had nothing incriminating on them and police were unable to take fingerprints from the stolen lead roofing.
The lack of action has left the congregation outraged and concerned at the prospect of yet more thefts.
Church member Carole Robinson, who is married to a churchwarden, was quoted by the Daily Mail as saying, "It was beyond belief. The police said they could claim they had only gone up to look at the view. It left people furious.
"We have been plagued with lead thefts and when we finally catch men on the roof they let them off with a caution."
Lead thieves are targeting churches across the country as the price of lead soars.
In the latest incident, police were called to the church last Sunday after several residents spotted the men on the roof.
