CRUEL thieves broke into a Port Glasgow church to steal money – and chocolate biscuits.

Holy Family parish priest Canon David Cotter says he is ‘frustrated’ after the break-in was discovered.

The thieves pulled off a heavy metal barrier at the back of the church hall and squeezed in through a window before making off with cash and chocolate biscuits, report the Greenock Telegraph

Canon Cotter said: “They removed a big heavy metal grid which which would have required some serious tools. They then detached the small window and squeezed in through that and into the kitchen.

“They took about £200 and chocolate biscuits.

“Who would break in and take biscuits and then leave the tins behind?

“It’s frustrating more than anything because we now have to spend money protecting something that shouldn’t have to be protected.

“We’ll have to upgrade our security system in the hall and spend money that could be better spent doing something else.”

The robbery, which took place sometime overnight from Wednesday into Thursday, appears identical to a previous theft back in December 2015.

Back then, the thieves took the bricks out and tried to get in through the wall.

In the end they pulled off the metal grid and got in through the window, before making off with £700.

Holy Family Church hall is at the heart of its community, used widely for community events, functions and fundraisers, and the incident has stunned Canon Cotter, who lived in Boston and Minnesota before moving to the UK 16 years ago.

He added: “I moved to Holy Family in December and I’ve been warmly welcomed by the Port Glasgow community.”

The church theft was just one in a spate of break-ins around the Port last week.

On Tuesday night, two teenage boys attempted to break into a garden shed in West Woodside Avenue.

The incidents continued on Wednesday night.

The first one happened in Slaemuir Avenue at 7.30pm when thieves broke into a shed and stole gardening scissors.

Just over two hours later, would-be thieves tried to gain access to a garden shed in Marloch Avenue.

A shed was targeted in East Woodside Avenue on Wednesday night while £600 worth of goods have also been stolen from a shed in Ardmore Road.

Constable Brian Arkley of Greenock police says an investigation has been launched.

He said: “We are warning residents to be extra vigilant and putting on extra patrols in Port Glasgow.”

Anyone with information is asked to phone Greenock police office on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.