Not just one or two, but 26 bells were stolen from remote churches in the greater area of Megalopolis, Arcadia, by three men in a span of three weeks.
The thefts are believed to be targeted as the bells were taken for their materials: bronze, copper, and some with silver and gold. According to authorities, their value surpasses 40,000 euros. Indicative of the value and weight of these bells is the theft from the Agia Paraskevi Church in Akovo, Megalopolis. They removed two bells, one with a diameter of 55 cm and weighing 75 kg, and another with a diameter of 45 cm and a weight of about 65 kg.
They always chose churches located away from populated areas, using a rechargeable electric saw to cut the chains, causing the bells to fall to the ground. They would then load them into their car and disappear.
The first theft occurred on October 25 at the Church of Agios Sozon in Neochori, Megalopolis. On the same day, they took a bell from another church. For the next three weeks, they left no bell untouched in the area.
Witness Accounts of the Stolen Bells
Authorities could barely keep up with the reports. They quickly realized it was an organized plan targeting bells. In some cases, they even took money. The newspaper “Patris” reveals the testimony of a witness about the theft at the Holy Trinity Church.
“The perpetrators stole two bells, a small one weighing 10 kg and a large one weighing 200 kg, made of copper, silver, and gold, and placed in the bell tower. Their value is 1,500 euros. They also used a sharp object to break the aluminum side door of the church and took 30 euros in coins from the donation box. They also broke the metal door of an adjacent storage room but did not take anything.”
Priests at other churches couldn’t believe their eyes when they saw the bells missing.
One of the clergy told authorities: “The village president called me to say that the chapel door was open. When I arrived, I found the door forced open and the donation box open. I noticed the bell, weighing about 50 kg, had been removed from the belfry. It had been hanging from an iron base with a thick chain, which was also missing. Shortly after, another church committee member called me to inform that a bell had been removed from another chapel.”
The perpetrators also caused damage to the church roofs, as described in a police officer’s testimony, climbing up to cut the chains. They had also come up with another trick, as witnesses informed the authorities.
“The bell manufacturer informed me that they cut the chains and threw the bells from the belfry, intending for them to break upon impact with the ground. This way, it was easier for them to load the broken pieces for transport.”
Witnesses described the suspects’ vehicle to the authorities, leading them to track the culprits.
“Last Saturday, I noticed an unfamiliar car in the area, with the driver inside and the passengers outside. They were standing outside a house with a small chapel in the yard, where a visible bell was hanging. I saw them observing and watching. When they realized I noticed them, they quickly got into the car and drove off towards the region of Ilia.”
The lawyer of one of the arrested suspects, Nikolas Rousopoulos, told the newspaper “Patris”:
“The police investigation does not indicate the involvement of the first arrested suspect. No burglary tools, bells, or fragments of them were found in his possession. The only testimony against him is from a citizen who was not an eyewitness but reported the vehicle’s license plate to the authorities. It should also be noted that he is a young person with a clean criminal record.”
Authorities are searching for the other two perpetrators.
