who steals a church?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7728407.stm

A 200-year-old church building has disappeared from a village in central Russia, officials from the Russian Orthodox Church say.

The building had stood near the village of Komarovo since 1809.

It was intact in July but some time in early October thieves made off with it brick by brick, they said.

Local prosecutors had been informed and an investigation was under way, a spokesman for the local Russian Orthodox Church said.
The disappearance of the Church of the Resurrection, some 300 km (186 miles) north-east of Moscow, was not immediately noticed.
It was in an out-of-the-way area and was not being used, although Church officials were considering resuming services there.

Now all that remained of the two-storey building - a school before it was turned over to the Church - were its foundations and some sections of wall, the Church said.
Thieves often target churches in rural Russia. Religious icons can be sold and church structures sold off for building materials.

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11 replies since 16th November 2008 • Last reply 16th November 2008

Reply #1:

WTF?! Who wants to steal a church? That's messed up...

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Reply #2:

I'm not religious but a church is a place of respect, you wouldn't punch a vicar! Although there's been stories of vicars being assaulted, people here like to wreck graveyards and steal bits from churches to sell as scrap metal...nice.

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Reply #3:

I'm sorry, but that's so funny!

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Reply #4:

Hahahaha. That is the last thing I would have expected somebody to steal... It's horrible, but still funny.

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Reply #5:

that's the craziest thing I've heard in a while...
I can't help but find it a little funny though!

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Reply #6:

I just love the idea of someone stealing a church, it's hilarious. You can't just steal a building!

Well, apparently you can haha

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Reply #7:

think of the determination it must take to do that...

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Reply #8:

its crazy huh.

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Reply #9:

I know they said it's an out of the way place, but it must've taken them a long time to steal it brick by brick so how on earth could someone not notice? Lol

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Reply #10:

I can't even begin to imagine how they would have done it!

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Reply #11:

well, if it's vacant, and you have a big enough crew it's definitely doable - especially since it's so old. you take apart the insides first - less noticeable from the outside - resupport it from the inside and start on the outside in an area no one would notice in passing until it's all gone. very clever! they're definitely going to hell... but that takes some smarts right there! ;) I guess all they hafta do is look for the building somewhere else...? that would be the ultimate prank - I would be so mad if my house was gone one day Tongue

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