A 15TH CENTURY helmet that once belonged to a wealthy landowner has been stolen from the church where it has been on show for the past 100 years.
The helmet, once the property of John Greene, was the only portable item of value in the church of St. Thomas the Apostle in Shonks Mill Lane, Navestock.
It was stolen some time between 2 and 7pm on Monday of last week, or between 9am and 2.30pm the next day, while the church was open.
About 30 years ago a similar helmet was stolen from the church.
The thief or thieves caused hundreds of pounds of damage to a marble monument as they climbed on it to reach the helmet, which had been chained high up on the church wall.
Church warden Peter Doersam said: "It was probably a funeral helmet to put on a coffin.
"It was too small for an adult.
"There are very few around like that.
"The problem is that although the church is alarmed, it is open during the day so people can come into the church and pray at any time.
"It looks that they have broken into the tower to see if they can find a ladder, but when they couldn't find one they have climbed up the wall and damaged one of the memorials."
It is thought the artifact previously belonged to John Greene, a judge at the sheriff's court in London and serjeant-at-law who lived in the area and died in 1653.
Anyone with any information that could be relevant is asked to please contact PC Simone Wade or her colleagues at Ongar CID on 101, or you can contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.