Shocking moment man tries to TEAR the cross off the roof of church in east London

Vandal who was caught on camera trying to TEAR a cross off the roof of church in east London is arrested after video provoked fury

  • Footage shows moment a man rips a cross from an east London Baptist church  
  • Police have arrested the suspect on the scene for suspicion of criminal damage 
  • Cross was recovered and suspect remains in custody, said Metropolitan police

A man who attempted to rip a large cross from the roof of an east London church has been arrested by police.

Footage posted on social media appears to show a man repeatedly trying to pull a wooden cross from its base above the entrance to Chadwell Heath Baptist Church in Romford.  

With the hood of a coat placed over the cross the man can be seen using all his force to release the cross from the roof of the church. 

Footage shows the moment a man is seen pulling a cross from its base on the roof of Chadwell Heath Baptist Church in Romford, east London

The Metropolitan Police said it was called to the church on High Road at 2.40pm on Sunday and arrested a man at the scene on suspicion of criminal damage.

A spokesman for the force said the cross was recovered and the man remains in police custody. 

Chadwell Heath Baptist Church has been contacted for comment. 

The man is seen repeatedly pushing his weight down on the cross in the attempt to loosen it from the base

The man is seen repeatedly pushing his weight down on the cross in the attempt to loosen it from the base

The cross was recovered and the suspect remains in custody, said the Metropolitan Police

The cross was recovered and the suspect remains in custody, said the Metropolitan Police

It is not yet known how the man reached the roof of the church and where the cross was recovered from

It is not yet known how the man reached the roof of the church and where the cross was recovered from

It is not yet known how the man reached the roof of the church and where the cross was recovered from  

Another two smaller crosses were standing either side of the large cross targeted by the suspect

 Another two smaller crosses were standing either side of the large cross targeted by the suspect

The footage, taken from a distance, clearly shows the suspect appearing to vandalise the church

The footage, taken from a distance, clearly shows the suspect appearing to vandalise the church