CCTV footage has captured the moment two ‘drunken Brit tourists’ pose with a golden Jesus statue in Lithuania before smashing it and then fleeing the scene
Two suspectedly drunk Brits were seen posing with a golden Jesus statue before smashing it. Shocking CCTV footage has captured one man dragging the golden icon away from a 15th-century church in Lithuania while laughing as his accomplice filmed the whole episode.
The pair are thought to be British nationals, though authorities are yet to confirm their identities and have called on the public to come forward with any information. In the footage, one man is spotted lounging on a bench before the other staggers into view clutching the sacred statue.
The seated suspect then begins recording on his mobile phone as his companion struggles to maintain his balance while manhandling the child-sized figure. Within moments of messing about with it, the statue’s arms suddenly snap clean off.
The gilded sculpture then tumbles to the ground, smashing into numerous fragments. Looking surprised – and with a golden arm in each hand – the reportedly British man legs it while his filming companion also makes a swift exit in the same direction.
The man who dropped the figure appeared to be intoxicated, though this has not been officially confirmed. Police have since launched an investigation into the shocking incident. The religious idol was stolen from the Shrine of Divine Mercy church in the Old Town of Vilnius, the capital city of Lithuania.
Reports suggest the culprit is British, based on his accent heard in the CCTV footage. He was spotted wearing a checkered scarf and a lengthy grey coat.
His accomplice, who filmed the incident, was dressed in a blue beanie hat and black jacket. The footage was posted to social media by the church’s priest, Fr. Elijas Anatolijus Markauskas.
The idol is believed to have been taken from a nearby shop. The priest urged viewers to share the video widely in a bid to raise awareness.
He revealed that the statue had been wrenched from a wooden cross in a courtyard just off the street where the pair were caught on camera.
Local police said: “On November 11, at about 9pm in Vilnius, Dominikonų St., from the inner courtyard of the church, an unidentified person broke a golden sculpture of Jesus hanging on a wooden cross. The damage is being assessed. A pre-trial investigation has been initiated under Article 284 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Lithuania.”