Thieves have robbed a church in Brooklyn and stolen a jewel-encrusted solid gold tabernacle worth $2 million. One of the marble angel statues at St. Augustine's Roman Catholic Church was also beheaded by them.
The church, which is located on 6 Avenue in Brooklyn, was robbed between Thursday night and Saturday, according to New York Police Department.
Thieves Stole 18-Karat Gold Tabernacle
The brazen thieves reported cut a giant hold into the tabernacle, a large structure that holds the Eucharist in the form of a blessed host, with unknown equipment and extracted an 18-karat gold tabernacle with jewels from its casing, according to the Daily Mail.
Tabernacle is Believed To Be From 1888
The tabernacle is believed to be from 1888 and was being used to conduct the rites of the sacrament of communion.
The structure was inside a revolving gold door which now has a cutout as thieves possibly drilled into to access it.
Pastor of St. Augustine Roman Catholic Church Calls It Heinous Act
Father Frank Tumino, pastor of St. Augustine, has called it a heinous act of disrespect expressing anger as the burglar entered the most sacred space of the beautiful Church.
Church officials have also revealed that the statues of angels were also decapitated.
"This is devastating, as the Tabernacle is the central focus of our church outside of worship, holding the Body of Christ, the Eucharist, which is delivered to the sick and homebound," said Tumino.
New York City Faces a Jump In Crime
NYPD Officials have also confirmed that a statue of the angel was beheaded but they have failed to find out where the actual head is.
Police have claimed that burglars broke into the church between May 26 and May 28 and cut open an alter to enter inside.
Burglary incidents are on the surge in the city as nearly 6,000 such incidents have been reported since January. New York City is witnessing a jump in all types of crimes as robbery and assault cases are up respectively by 40% and 19%.
