Man arrested in Poland for stealing cross from Ukrainian church

Polish law enforcement officers have detained a 29-year-old citizen who tried to steal a cross from a Ukrainian church in Legnica. The man was charged with several serious charges, including desecration of a religious symbol.

According to information published by Polish Radio, the attacker had been damaging the roof and cutting the cross from the dome of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary for several days. The search lasted about four days, after which he was charged with three charges: attempted theft, theft, and desecration of a religious symbol that offended the faith of the community.

The man confessed to the crime and said that he acted independently, carefully planning his actions. As noted by Liliana Lukasiewicz, the spokeswoman for the District Prosecutor’s Office, the suspect had already attempted to commit similar crimes. He had previously tried to steal the copper roof of the church, but was prevented by the alarm system. In preparation for cutting down the cross, he stole a ladder worth over PLN 1,600.

During interrogation, the man claimed that he thought the cross was silver. Still, investigators emphasized that he should have recognized the spiritual significance of his act, not just its material value.

It is worth noting that on September 13, the roof and cross of the church were also damaged, as reported by the Ukrainian Ambassador to Poland, Vasyl Bodnar.