IT'S an extremely sad reflection of society that even churches aren't sacred when it comes to crime.

St Joseph's at Ingrow is the latest to fall prey to thieves, who stripped lead from the roof.

The theft itself, of course, is deplorable.

But far worse in many ways is the damage the perpetrators caused to the building while carrying out their act.

For the sake of the few quid they might get for the lead, they left a trail of destruction costing over £1,000 as they pursued their ill-gotten gains.

And such incidents also cause huge upset to worshippers, many of whom consider the church to be their home.

Let's hope those responsible are tracked down.