Thieves break into Armenian Orthodox church in Istanbul's Beyoğlu, steal artefacts

A group of thieves on Sept. 15 broke into an Armenian Orthodox Church in the Beyoğlu district of Istanbul, stealing a number of religious artefacts, Doğan News Agency has reported.

Locals in the area spotted the thieves at the Surp Krikor Lusavoric Armenian Orthodox Church while they were trying to put a huge painting and a cross they stole from the church inside a vehicle nearby.

After they realized they had been spotted, the group of thieves reportedly left the painting and the cross on the roadside, and later managed to escape with a number of other artifacts stolen from the church. 

Police have launched an investigation into the incident.