Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­

A series of thefts from churches have tongues wagging in the rural south of France.

Criminals have stolen the bells from four chapels in the eastern Var in just one month.

Gendarmes are investigating, but local officials and residents are pessimistic that the bells will be found in one piece, and fear the bronze bells have been taken for their scrap value.

Bells have been taken from religious buildings in Ginasservis, Brue-Auriac, Esparron-de-Pallières and Notre-Dame-du-Revest in the past few weeks.

It is not the first time religious buildings in the area have been targeted. Art lovers have previously stolen the doors of the chapel of Esparron-de-Pallières.