A CALLOUS crook made the Sign of the Cross as he helped his accomplice steal a treasured church lamp.

The raider was captured on CCTV footage crossing himself before acting as a lookout man as a second thief – who was also caught on camera – stole the 116-year-old artefact.

The crime sickened members of the congregation at St Patrick’s Roman Catholic Church in Winson Green.

Ann Byrne, chairman of the church’s finance committee, said: “I could not believe my eyes when I saw the CCTV.

“Crossing himself means he knew what he was doing and the importance of what was being stolen. That makes it even worse for us. It’s absolutely awful.”

Video footage of the raid, which happened on the morning of October 4, showed the track-suited thief standing before the church altar, where he appeared to pause briefly and reflect on the crime.

He then clambered onto a chair to reach up for the silver sanctuary lamp, which hung around eight foot from the ground.

Mrs Byrne, from Cradley Heath, also teaches eight and nine-year-olds at the attached St Patrick’s School.

She said the pupils had been left shocked by the raid.

“We’ve told the children these men came in and stole a very precious sacrament and they want to raise money for a new one,” she said. “They were horrified and couldn’t believe someone would steal from a church.”