Thefts from churches a growing problem in Brussels

Theft from parishioner collections in Brussels churches is a growing problem, according to police and church staff.Saint-Gilles church has fallen victim to theft a number of times, with thieves often using techniques involving hooks and magnets to recover coins and notes from the boxes where visitors leave donations.“We had a secure box but we saw that it had been ripped out of the ground,” Thierry Claessens, who is in charge of the church's furniture, told RTBF.Claessens added in disbelief that while the church had since purchased a new one, the stolen one was made of concrete.Several churches in Brussels have reported the theft of donation…