Leaders at a Rotorua church hit by thieving vandals three times in the past week suspect the break-ins are an inside job.
The vindictive thieves, armed with an axe, hacked their way around Rotorua's Living Well Church looking for money. They caused thousands of dollars' damage.
Monday night's
rampage was the third break-in and theft at the church in less than a week and its leaders have been forced to beef up security.
Church operations director Pastor Gary Ellis said it was feared the culprits were insiders or at least people who had been at the church before.
The church building, on Biak St, is huge, yet the thieves knew where to look, he said.
"They were in the dark and if they didn't know where they were going, they would be lost."
The congregation of about 600, and non-church members, were free to come and go all the time and church leaders did not want that to change with increased security. "We don't want it to be a closed-door thing."
Mr Ellis described the thieves as malicious because they not only took money and video cameras but they also did unnecessary damage.
"We are looking at getting security guards or people that come in for the day and that is their job ... there are lots of kids here, we are a big youth ministry.
"We have to protect people. We want them to feel safe coming here and we won't let this ruin what we do."
Youth director John Parker said it wasn't a nice feeling knowing someone wanted to hurt the church.
Senior Sergeant Tony Colby of the Rotorua police said there had been no other reports of churches in Rotorua being targeted.
- NZPA
