THIEVES broke into St Eustachius Church, in Tavistock, last weekend, causing more than £1,000 of damage.
They gained entry by smashing the bottom of a stained glass window, and climbed onto the Steinway grand piano, before searching the church for money.
A cast-iron chest enclosed in wood was completely demolished in the hunt for collection money and a small safe containing donations was damaged.
The amount of money stolen was minimal, but the damage caused to the window, the piano, the safe and the chest amounts to around £1,300.
The burglary was committed overnight on Sunday.
Preb John Rawlings, vicar of Tavistock, said the break-in had caused a lot of inconvenience.
?The big problem is we now have nothing to put donations in,? he said. ?It?s also going to be very difficult to repair the stained glass window that was broken.
?I?ve been here for 11 years now, and there has been the odd little incident during that time, but nothing like this.?
l St Mary?s Church, in Mary Tavy, was also broken into last Sunday. Thieves forced open a part-glazed, double door and searched for money. They escaped empty-handed, but caused £100 of damage to the door.
Police would like to hear from anyone who knows anything about either crime. Crime refs JT/03/702 and JT/03/704.
People who see someone acting suspiciously in or around a church, or callers who appear more interested in closed off areas than the church itself, are urged to make a note of their descriptions and and any vehicle details.
Non-urgent information can be passed on not only by phone, but also by post or in person at the nearest police station.