Anglican Church Deanery burglarised

The St George’s Cathedral deanery was burglarised on Sunday, the second time in two weeks.{{more}}

And Dean of the St George’s Cathedral, Patrick McIntosh, is calling for more security at the deanery, at Victoria Park.

He told SEARCHLIGHT yesterday that the house was secured before the family left for Sunday morning worship.

When they returned, his son discovered that his Blackberry smartphone, money and a gold chain were missing from his bedroom.

McIntosh said the burglar(s) apparently pried open one of the burglar bars and opened the locks of that bar from inside with keys that were in the house.

His daughter’s laptop was also stolen.

“She had just studied the night and she realised they walked with her laptop with her flashdrives. All of her documents are gone…”

McIntosh, who was at the time on a retreat for confirmation candidates, said a pair of jeans belonging to his sister went missing also.

He also said a ring he had given his wife over 27 years ago was also stolen.

“We are still looking to see if anything more is missing. I think they were looking for things that could sell right away, like the Blackberry, the blackberry cases and the laptop…”

He stated that he has spoken to almost all the members of the Church council and said it is being considered that more security measures be put in place.

“… We are just taking steps right now and waiting to see what happens,” McIntosh said.

He revealed that the news “took a bit of the spirit” out of him, but noted that he is already looking past the incident.

He said the Church council felt that it might be best to relocate.

“Even though I might feel that way, you have to be able to think of your family. Right now I am just listening to what they have to say. I don’t think I am hearing my family wants to go. It’s more about protection…” he added.

“It is much more different from ten years ago. People want to buy drugs and they come at your place armed. Not only with cutlasses, but guns…” he said.

On October 14, McIntosh said his wife had just returned from church and noticed that the burglar bar gate upstairs was opened.

At that time, he said it was not suspected that the house had been broken into, but rather she suspected that she had left it open when she went outside to place a towel on the line.

“The person came in and took her phone. This happened about between 7 and 9 a.m., because like they know the time we are at church…”

The incident was not reported to the police.

McIntosh said he started a vegetable garden last year.

Someone came into the yard during the day and cut the 125-foot hose that he used to water his crops, he said.

He said the people at Gibson’s Building Supplies were kind enough to give him a 50-foot hose. Again, that hose was stolen, along with a wheelbarrow, during the day.

“These persons would have gone right throughout the house and invaded our privacy. By the grace of God, we’ll get it together and I don’t think this incident should take us away from our focus and our objective…” McIntosh said.

Police are investigating. (KW)