Jewels worth $100,000 lost in church theft

Jewellery worth more than $100,000 has been stolen from a Greek Orthodox church on Victoria's Mornington Peninsula.

Police say offenders broke into the church at Red Hill on Wednesday afternoon.

They smashed a sealed box containing an icon of the Virgin Mary and stole rings, chains, bracelets, bangles and crosses donated by parishioners since 1987.

Police have appealed for witnesses to come forward.