Father Frank Tumino said that the burglar had entered the Church’s most sacred space and taken great care to hack into the security system. It was a terrible act of disrespect.
New York City Police Department are looking for the man who stole the tabernacle worth $2 million from an altar in Brooklyn Catholic Church.
According to the Diocese of Brooklyn, the suspect probably broke into the Tabernacle on Friday. He then “cut through the metal protective casing and took off with it,” they stated in a statement. A pastor discovered the theft on Saturday.
The diocese claims that the Tabernacle’s 130 year history makes the ancient gem “irreplaceable.” The diocese also stated that the Tabernacle’s angels were damaged along with the Holy Eucharist in the artifact that was “thrown over the altar.”
The Diocese also reported that a safe was cut inside the sacristy, but that it was empty.
The theft was deemed a crime of “disrespect” and “hate,” which led to the desecration of the Most Holy Eucharist as well as the altar at St. Augustine Catholic Church.
“This is a devastating situation, because the Tabernacle, which holds the Body of Christ, and the Eucharist, is the center of our church other than worship,” stated Father Frank Tumino of St. Augustine.
Tumino continued, “To know that an intruder entered the most sacred space in our beautiful Church and took great care to cut into a security systems is a heinous act deign.”
PEOPLE is told by the diocese that there have not been any updates.
PEOPLE was informed by the NYPD that the Tabernacle was made of pure 18-karat Gold and featured jewels. It is valued at $2million.
The police adds that a statue of an angel was damaged at the church. The head of the statue has been removed.
