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The intruder has never been found.

Despite the attack, Wheeler said he did not experience post-traumatic stress: "In fact, I slept very well that night."

On advice from the diocese, he has now installed closed-circuit television and a panic button connected to the police station, but he is "distressed" about these precautions. "This is a vicarage, not a castle," he said. "It's supposed to be open. It's our calling.

"Certainly a clerical collar doesn't make any difference these days. There is a lack of respect for any form of authority."

Studies show that theft is not the only reason for attacking a church. Ecclesiastical, the market leader in church insurance, with 16,400 churches covered, had more claims for arson and malicious damage than for theft in 1999. Thirty-eight claims for arson and 1941 claims for malicious damage were settled for a combined average of 835 pounds ($1,250 U.S.) per claim. Theft claims totaled 1,666, and were settled for an average of 724 pounds ($1,085 U.S.) per claim.

Ecclesiastical spokesman Toby Barker told ENI that the level of church crime had risen sharply five years ago, and since then had remained fairly constant. "We don't know why crime rose. Maybe churches are thought of as a soft touch. Maybe they are seen as offering rich pickings."

The company has recently noticed a slight downturn in crime against churches. "We're putting a lot of effort into raising security consciousness in churches," said Barker. "It would be good to think it's all having some effect."

Copyright © 2001 ENI

The Big Issue in the North, an English periodical, offers this story on church crimes. Stateside, the New York Daily News and Associated Press looked at the topic in the wake of incidents in St. Lucia and New York.

A church in New Mexico is taking a different approach to crime prevention: prayer. Read more from Christianity Todayhere.

Your Church, a Christianity Today sister publication, offers tips for making churches safer.

The majority of documented U.S. crimes against churches have been arsons:

'Missionary of Lucifer' Pleads Guilty to Church Burnings | Indiana man confesses to more than 25 acts of arson. (Dec. 6, 2000)

Suspect Arrested in Church Burnings | (April 26, 1999)

Rising from the Ashes | Congregations rebuild after Satanist arsons. (Nov. 17, 1997)

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January (Web-only) 2001, Vol. 45