Centuries-old church bell stolen from North Jutland church

A historic church bell, several hundred years old, has been stolen from Sejlstrup Church in North Jutland, Danish broadcaster DR reports. The theft occurred over the weekend, despite the bell weighing hundreds of kilograms.

The bell, housed in a freestanding bell tower beside the church, was discovered missing Monday morning by gravedigger Steen Svendsen.

“I went to ring it as I normally do at 7:30 AM, but there was no life in the rope—it was missing a bell,” Svendsen told DR.

The stolen bell holds both historical significance and a central role in local life, according to vicar Hanne Drejergaard Kjeldsen. “It marks the start of services, funerals, and weddings. It’s part of everything that happens here—an essential ritual,” she said.

Made of bell bronze, a copper-rich alloy, the bell’s theft follows a rise in metal prices, making such crimes more attractive, said Kasper Brix, a police commissioner with North Jutland Police’s Hjørring Investigation Center.

“Unfortunately, we currently have few leads—no physical evidence or surveillance footage,” Brix said, urging the public to report any sightings of the bell.

The incident is part of a broader trend: since 2023, copper has been stolen in 11 break-ins at Danish churches and churchyards.