AN INTERNET scammer has stolen around £86,000 from a Catholic parish in Co Derry.
The fraudster, posing as an engineer, rang a priest in the parish of Banagher and claimed his broadband had been hacked.
He told the priest he needed to remotely access his computer to resolve the problem.
Thousands of pounds were then stolen from the parish bank account.
The theft was reported to police on December 2. Parishioners were told about the fraud during Sunday Mass.
Fr Michael Canny from Derry Diocese said the priest is "feeling pretty rotten".
"The priest got a phone call from [a person] who he thought was a genuine company who he has had dealings with before," he said.
