Father Tatis Comments on Massive Church Robbery, Australia

The theft occurred last Wednesday afternoon, when criminals smashed the glass box containing an icon of the Virgin Mary, and stole various pieces of jewelry from inside. The Church received the treasures as religious offerings beginning in 1987.

Father Eleftherios Tatis described, "As we understand after police investigation, the offender walked in the church, while another person most probably waited for him in the car further away...It was me here and our cleaner, who has been maintaining the church for last 28 years...The visitors left just before 3 pm. I went inside the church to put out some candles. I returned to my office, just to realise I had forgotten my keys inside the church...The offender, as the police believes, probably at that point broke the glass, and took the jewelry in his pockets."

Father Tatisis expressed his gratitude that at least the icon hadn't been snatched as well. "As I went back to church, I kissed the Icon and saw the glass broken and jewelry missing". He stated that police believe that the robbers are drug addicts.

The Priest declared, "30 years here, with the doors wide open, day and night, nothing like this has ever occurred. We never put the cameras in. Now they took it all in front of my eyes...I feel sorry for those who did it, but they won't see any good."

(Source: neoskosmos.com)