On Sunday, 23 November at around 18:00, two masked burglars broke into St. James Parish in Tuchow and used tear gas against the priest during the service.
Burglary at St. James Parish
The parish of St. James the Elder Apostle in Tuchow, Lesser Poland, reported a raid that occurred on Sunday, 23 November at approximately 18 h. Two masked men, about 20‑30 years old and ranging in height from 170 cm to 190 cm, entered the premises during a parish meeting.
Conflict and tear‑gas attack
At one point, the intruders confronted the priest who tried to restrain them. The conflict escalated into a quarrel, after which the burglars deployed tear gas, forcing the priest to flee the scene.
The priest sustained no serious injuries, according to the mayor’s police press officer, Kamil Wójcik, who spoke to journalists.
Police investigation and parish appeal
Police arrived on the scene to collect evidence and determine the circumstances of the incident, but have thus far not identified the suspects. Consequently, the parish issued an appeal for witnesses.
Marian parishioners are urged to contact the parish or the Tarnów police department if they observed suspicious individuals around the service‑hall or church on that day or earlier.
