Close to €4,000 that had been stolen from the Ibrag parish church on Monday morning has been recovered, after one of the thieves involved in the heist went to church to confess the crime, this newspaper has learnt.

The disappearance of the funds had caused no small amount of distress among Ibrag parishioners, and the money was meant to have been allocated to a Missionary fund.

One thief, however, appears to have had second thoughts.  The thief's guilty conscience presumably got the better of him, or her, and they went to confess the crime to a priest. 

The funds have now been recovered.

It is believed that the thief will not be charged, as priests are bound to keep all confessions secret.

It is believed that thieves used a 'chaser' to break into the safe where the money was being kept.  The police said in a statement that the theft occurred at around 9.30am on Monday morning, when the church was closed.