A Floriana chapel was targeted for the third time in as many years, raising fears that a bigger robbery was being planned.

“Nothing was stolen except for a sacred object of little value. We just want this to stop but we fear it will continue or get worse,” Bro. Luciano Baldacchino, a Franciscan Capuchin who looks after the chapel of Our Lady of Lourdes, said.

CCTV shows the robbery of a valueless lantern right beside a priceless gold tabernacle.

CCTV footage shows a man, presumably in his late 20s, pocketing a simple oil lantern and fleeing after pretending to be in the quaint chapel seeking sanctuary through prayer.

The bemused Capuchin could hardly believe anyone would steal something so valueless. However, baffled by this latest robbery, he fears the priceless religious gold tabernacle, which was right beside the lantern, could have been the real object of the thief’s desire.

“Luckily, we installed an alarm on the tabernacle that is pressure sensitive and it wasn’t stolen,” Bro. Baldacchino said, shrugging his shoulders, seemingly questioning the thief’s motives.

It would almost be funny if it weren’t so sad

The six-minute CCTV footage shows a young man scoping out the small grotto behind the chapel’s altar for several minutes, eyeing small cameras and pacing around the room. The thief eventually climbs into the grotto and stands in front of the precious tabernacle for several minutes before making a speedy getaway with the €30 lantern.

“I don’t understand, but it is worrying and we want it to stop,” Bro. Baldacchino said, as he relit a similar lantern.

The footage has been handed over to the police who yesterday confirmed they were investigating.

Describing the area as a crime blackspot, Bro. Baldacchino said the nearby unkempt Floriana gardens were often frequented by drug addicts, many of whom got free syringes from the health centre a few metres away.

A quick visual inspection of the area yesterday revealed about 12 syringes less than 10 metres away from the chapel stairs.

A police source confirmed the area had recently been cleaned of drug paraphernalia and that regular inspections were being carried out.

This latest theft at the chapel follows another more coordinated one last July.

Bro. Baldacchino said that in the first theft silver rosary beads had been swiped off of a statue of Our Lady using a large wooden crucifix.

The chapel was later fitted with a CCTV security system but not even this proved enough of a deterrent and, in fact, part of the equipment was stolen during the second raid on the chapel. Bro. Baldacchino said the thieves had sat in the chapel pretending to pray and later hid behind drawn curtains when the chapel was locked. Finally alone inside, the thieves pried open the locked door to the sacristy using a metal bar and rummaged through drawers, damaging furniture and throwing the master keys to the chapel into a nearby field.

“All they stole were knick-knacks, batteries, candles, the CCTV monitor and remote controls. It would almost be funny if it weren’t so sad,” he said.