Thefts from churches in France have surged this year, as sacred objects and artworks are increasingly targeted by thieves – driven by soaring gold prices and easy access to many small, poorly protected buildings.
The Interior Ministry recorded 538 cases in 2025, an 11 percent rise from the previous year.
The thefts often involve small churches that are easy to access and poorly protected. Higher gold prices have also increased the value of some of the objects being stolen.
Three men were convicted on Friday for around 30 thefts from churches in northern and eastern France.
They received prison sentences, some of them suspended, after stealing cultural objects with the help of a second-hand dealer.
Hadrien Lacoste, vice president of France's Observatory for Religious Heritage, told RFI the thefts cover different types of crime.
“The theft of collection boxes and donations is what we would call petty larceny,” he said. “Then there is a second type of theft, involving art objects that are often made from precious materials and often signed by major goldsmiths.”
These objects are works of art rather than everyday religious items, Lacoste added.
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Objects sought from abroad
Stolen religious objects are resold at flea markets or through antique dealers in France. Some are also sold outside the country.
“The Catholic Church, for example in Asia, is very dynamic, with patrons who are willing to support these communities by buying high-quality religious objects,” Lacoste said. “That’s why these objects today are closely watched from abroad.”
Because churches built after 1905 fall under the responsibility of mayors, Lacoste is calling for greater awareness of the value of what he described as shared and local heritage.
“There needs to be a real awareness of the value of this shared and local heritage, which must be preserved, showcased and secured,” he said.
Proposed measures to tackle the problem include drawing up detailed inventories for each church and installing protective display cases for valuable objects.
