A THIEF has broken into the All Saints' Catholic Church in Portland and stolen a small amount of cash from a safe.
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Detective Senior Constable Jarrod Anderson, of the Portland police crime investigation unit, said an offender broke into the Bentinck Street church between 10pm Saturday and 7am Sunday.
"The offender forced entry through a window, located the key to safe and got into the safe, stealing a small amount of cash," he said.
"The church is attached to the house and the priest was inside his residence asleep but was not disturbed."
Detective Senior Constable Anderson said breaking into the church and stealing was a despicable act.
"That's about as low as it gets," he said.
Portland detectives are also investigating the theft of machinery valued at more than $60,000 from a farm at Gorae West.
He said that between noon Thursday and noon Friday offenders had gone to a farm at Foleys Road where they stole equipment from a shed.
The equipment included a $54,000 Toro brand mower, a $12,000 chipper and a marine boat trailer.
Detective Senior Constable Anderson said the farm on Foleys Road was located about halfway between the Portland-Nelson Road and Spinks Road.
He requested anyone who saw anything suspicious in that area late last week contact the Portland police station or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
And police are also looking to catch a theft who stole six bags of fish from a laundry freezer in Duttons Way, Portland.
Detective Senior Constable Anderson said the sea fish were stolen about 1am Sunday.
"There's a rear separate laundry area where a freezer is located. The six bags of fish, valued at $50, were stolen from the freezer," he said.