British police officers asked a vicar who reported a raid on her church to preserve the thief’s snowy footprints, but the evidence melted before they turned up.
Reverend Heather Murray saw the footprints after discovering lead had been taken from the church gates in its third raid of the year.
The clergywoman, of St Thomas’ Church in County Durham, said: “They asked if I would cover the footprints and preserve them until they came. I said it wouldn’t be possible as the snow was melting.”
Durham Police said this was “standard procedure”, The Northern Echo reported.