A gang who stole lead from churches across the East Midlands – including three in Leicestershire – have been jailed.
The thieves left the Church of England with a £1 million repair bill across three counties.
Among the buildings hit in August last year was the St James the Greater church in Little Dalby, near Melton.
Retired vicar Canon Michael Covington called for more co-ordinated action after an estimated £50,000 worth of lead was removed from the grade II-listed church.
Two other village churches in Leicestershire, St James in Ab Kettleby, and All Saints in Asfordby, were also struck, as well as churches in Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire.
Stephen Lowne, prosecuting, told Lincoln Crown Court: "These churches were fairly isolated and some of them did not have houses nearby. In some cases it was some time before the thefts were discovered allowing the ingress of rainwater.
"Extensive infrastructure damage was caused to some of the churches."
The court heard the gang were caught after police stopped a vehicle laden-with stolen lead on the A46 near Lincoln.
An investigation led to the arrests of six of the gang after they were linked to the offences through sales of stolen metal to recycling yards.
Some of the metal had traces of "smart water" which allowed officers to identify where the lead had been stolen.
DNA evidence left behind on a cigarette butt and a beer can at one church and evidence from automatic number plate recognition cameras also led to some of the gang being identified.
The gang netted almost £70,000 from selling the stolen lead during a nine-month period in 2011.
Passing sentence, Judge Michael Heath told the gang: "These thefts caused serious financial consequences. The overall costs to the 20 churches. I am told, is in the region of £1 million.
"It is important and should not be underestimated the distress felt by Christians at the desescration of their scared places of divine worship."
Andrius Cereska (30), of Laceby Street, Lincoln; Audrius Kvedavas (30), of Maple Street, Lincoln, and Tadas Andruska (36), of Roman Pavement, Lincoln, all admitted conspiring to steal lead belonging to the Church of England between January and September 2011, and were each jailed for four years.
Vidas Andruska (34), of Roman Pavement, Lincoln, was found guilty of the same charge after a trial and was jailed for seven years.
Vitalijus Vilkys (27), of Nelson Street, Lincoln, admitted handling stolen lead and was sentenced to six months imprisonment suspended for two years and 180 hours community punishment.
Nerijus Razma (23), of Manby Street, Lincoln, pleaded guilty to a single theft charge and was jailed for 22 months.
