The St Lawrence church in Brundish was broken into at some time between January 14 and January 25.

A rural church near Framlingham has become the latest target for thieves.

The St Lawrence church in Brundish was broken into at some time between January 14 and January 25.

“It’s a very isolated church,” said Mr Mulrenan, “it serves the village very well still.”

Mr Mulrenan said that he had noticed something wasn’t right after walking up to the church and noticing that a gate was open.

Walking up to the gate he found that some wooden logs had been place on top of a pile of bibles, carrying on he found that the north door of the church had also been opened.

Inside he found that very little damage had been caused but that the church’s safe had been removed.

The safe is thought to be around 3ft square and has a silver coloured lever on it.

Mr Mulrenan says that it is extremly heavy and struggled to understand how anyone could have carried it away.

Inside the safe were items of silverware and parish records.

A 17th century communion cup which had recently been restored was amongst the items in the safe along with a large jug, known as a ewer which had been given to the church at the turn of the last century.

The church are asking dog walkers in the local area to keep an eagle eye out for anything shiny that they might spot in the countryside close to the church as they believe the safe or its contents can’t have gone far.

Suffolk police are now appealing for information about the incident.

It comes only weeks after records and silverware were taken from the St Mary and St Botolph’s church in Ipswich. The records were later found water damaged and are currently undergoing restoration.

One of the men charged with receiving stolen goods from the church,Vasile Tecaru,20, of Mountbatten Court Ipswich will appear at South East Suffolk Magistrates’ Court today for his latest hearing.

Anyone who has any information about the burglary at St Lawrence’s, or who has been offered items for sale similar to those described above, is asked to contact the Incident and Crime Management Hub at Police Headquarters on 101 quoting reference 4842/18, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.