Police in central Russia advise church staff to buy guns

[Ioannis]

RIA Novosti - Russia - Police in central Russia advise church staff to buy guns

VORONEZH, March 19 (RIA Novosti) - Police in central Russia's
Kostroma Region have recommended that church watchmen buy firearms, a
police spokeswoman said on Wednesday.

Russia has recently seen a dramatic rise in raids on churches as
robbers seek to steal icons and other religious artwork. In November
2007, thieves broke into a village church in the Kostroma Region and
stole eight rare icons worth 2 million rubles ($85,000).

Robbers also often resort to violence and a number of church
employees have lost their lives in incidents across Russia.

"We recommend that church personnel performing security duties apply
to law enforcement agencies to obtain firearms licenses, so that they
can protect their lives and the church's property," Elena Kirshanova said.

She added that police were not trying to "avoid their duty to protect
life and property" and that firearms were being recommended as an
"additional security measure."

The region has a total of 55 churches and monasteries. All of them
are currently being equipped with alarms as well as with indoor and
outdoor cameras.