Two men had plenty of time to 'repent' as they languished in a Police cell early this morning after being caught stealing copper spouting off a Hamilton church overnight.
Constable Myles O'Donnell said officers were called to the scene on Pine Ave about 12.40am.
"We'd received reports of men on the roof of the derelict church, trying to remove the spouting.
"A number of units responded and while our response may not have been divine there was certainly some decisive intervention with a 19 and a 17-year-old male arrested," he said.
Copper spouting was found piled at the rear of the building and one of the men arrested was found in possession of a pair of tin snips and bolt cutters.
While the two arrested men are due to appear in the Hamilton District Court today inquiries are continuing in relation to if the pair were involved with the theft of copper spouting from a nearby Bader St property as well.
Mr O'Donnell said this morning's arrests were only possible by members of the local community stepping up to the mark and phoning Police about suspicious activity.
"It's like the add says, safer communities together, so if in doubt- give Police a shout."
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