A 143-year-old church in Sheerness on the Isle of Sheppey has been compelled to relocate its services to a nearby cafe due to persistent vandalism. Youths have been using catapults to fire ball bearings through the church's windows, prompting safety concerns as glass has been continually falling onto congregants.
Sunday services at the joint United Reformed and Methodist church were temporarily suspended and moved to the building's Lighthouse Café. Minister Lynne Le Masonry stated that the church has been a target for vandalism since February, with the projectiles believed to be aimed at pigeons.
"Every day we go in and find new shards of glass all over the place, over the chairs, on the carpets and on the communion table," Le Masonry said. "We have had to come out of the church and into the coffee shop. But the congregation doesn't like it. It's not right and it's not comfortable."
The church is now considering installing a more robust, potentially "bulletproof" alternative to the damaged glass in the roof lantern, which was added in 2006. This upgrade, alongside boarding up windows for immediate safety, is expected to cost thousands of pounds, though the insurance company has agreed to negotiate a safe alternative.
Police have been informed of the incidents. Neighbourhood police officer PC Alison Honess told Sheerness Town Council that all catapult incidents are being treated as a priority. "This is a nationwide issue and not isolated to Sheerness. But the view of the police is the same - it will not be tolerated," Honess stated. She added that while possessing a catapult in public is not currently illegal, the weapons will be confiscated if found without lawful excuse.
PC Honess urged the public to report incidents via 999 for emergencies, 101, or the live chat function on the Kent Police website. A police spokesperson confirmed that residents can anticipate an increased police presence in the area as authorities work to deter such behavior. Despite ongoing reports, police note that increased public reporting is leading to a reduction in damage.