Stoke Minster Metal Theft – Four in Court
31 Jul 2010
Four men are expected to enter pleas at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court on Monday (2nd August) in connection with the theft of lead from the roof of Stoke Minster valued at £13,000.
The four men, aged 17, 22, 23 and 23 at the time they were charged on 13th May, were arrested in the vicinity of Stoke Minster Church, St Peter’s Close, Stoke, in the early hours of April 19.
72 sheets of lead were removed from the roof before the police were called causing several thousands of pounds of damage to the actual structure.
A subsequent appeal was launched to raise over £30,000 for repairs to the roof of Stoke Minster.
Although the Minster is fully insured, the underwriters will not insure churches for the theft of lead although the insurance company itself will pay £5000 towards the claim, leaving the church to find the balance of the cost of repairs itself.
The Court List gives the names of the defendants as Nikoladus Janouicius, Mykolas Serdiucenko and Spartakas Grachauskas.
