Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
Thieves stole a $2M gold tabernacle from a Park Slope church, and left behind a mess
By
Jon Campbell
Published May 30, 2022
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
Courtesy: Diocese of Brooklyn
By
Jon Campbell
Published May 30, 2022
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Police remain on the lookout for apparent burglars who made off with a solid gold tabernacle worth an estimated $2 million from a Brooklyn church.
Police are investigating an apparent burglary at St. Augustine Roman Catholic Church in Park Slope, where a solid-gold tabernacle was found missing.
Courtesy: Diocese of Brooklyn
The bejeweled, 18-karat gold vessel had been built into a metal casing behind the altar of St. Augustine Roman Catholic Church in Park Slope. That did not stop thieves believed to have burglarized the church sometime between Thursday night and Saturday afternoon; the church’s pastor discovered it missing Saturday, the Diocese of Brooklyn confirmed Sunday.
Police are investigating an apparent burglary at St. Augustine Roman Catholic Church in Park Slope, where a solid-gold tabernacle was found missing.
Courtesy: Diocese of Brooklyn
“This is devastating, as the Tabernacle is the central focus of our church outside of worship, holding the Body of Christ, the Eucharist, which is delivered to the sick and homebound,” Father Frank Tumino, St. Augustine’s pastor, said in a statement. “To know that a burglar entered the most sacred space of our beautiful Church and took great pains to cut into a security system is a heinous act of disrespect.”
Police are investigating an apparent burglary at St. Augustine Roman Catholic Church in Park Slope, where a solid-gold tabernacle was found missing.
Courtesy: Diocese of Brooklyn
Along with the steep monetary value, the tabernacle has spiritual value to the church. The tabernacle dated back to the late 1800s and was used to house the Holy Eucharist that is central to a Catholic mass.
According to the diocese and NYPD, the burglars caused significant damage to angel sculptures that were near the vessel. At least one was decapitated.
The NYPD is urging anyone with information about the crime to contact its Crimestoppers hotline, either on the NYPD website or by phone at 800-577-TIPS.
Tagged
crime
Jon Campbell
Jon Campbell covers the New York State Capitol for WNYC and Gothamist. Prior to that, he covered the Capitol for more than a decade for the USA TODAY Network. He has twice earned the Walter T. Brown Memorial Award, an honor given annually by the Legislative Correspondents Association alumni for outstanding state government coverage. Jon grew up in the Buffalo area and graduated from the University at Albany. Got a tip? Email Jon at [email protected] or Signal at JonCampbellNY.90.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
Police identify 2 men wanted for stabbing an off-duty NYPD officer
D’Angelo Caraballo and Sneider Mejia are wanted on several charges, including attempted murder.
By
Ben Feuerherd
Published Oct 6, 2026 at 11:05 a.m. ET
NYC’s autumn foliage will be a fall feast this year
A rainy fall will intensify autumn foliage colors, making them last longer, too.
By
Rosemary Misdary
News
NYC’s autumn foliage will be a fall feast this year
A rainy fall will intensify autumn foliage colors, making them last longer, too.
By
Rosemary Misdary
NY officials worry migrants will skip healthcare amid fed policy change
By
Caroline Lewis
Early Addition: Spy magazine is doing a Substack pop-up
By
James Ramsay
Bronx woman found dead and infant in critical condition after balcony push, NYPD says
By
Brittany Kriegstein
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .