The head of the Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales has condemned the violence and theft in parts of London in recent days.

Archbishop Vincent Nichols asked Catholics to pray for those directly affected by the violence, including the many people whose livelihoods have been ruined and those who remain fearful of yet more unrest.

“The scenes of the last few days in parts of London and elsewhere are shocking,” he said in a statement.

“The criminal violence and theft that have been witnessed are to be condemned.

“They are a callous disregard for the common good of our society and show how easily basic principles of respect and honesty are cast aside.”

The Archbishop’s call for prayer extended to parents worried about the behaviour of their children and those who are being tempted into the ways of violence and theft.

“In the face of these difficulties, a forthright common effort is needed to ensure that these times bring out the best in our society and not the worst.

“May God grant us courage and determination to shape our lives with dignity, self-respect and care for the common good.”

Some 16,000 police officers will be on the streets of London tonight as the Met attempts to bring three days of havoc to an end.

Prime Minister David Cameron said there was a need for “robust” police action to deal with the rioting, which has left many parts of London nervous about what tonight may bring.

Home Secretary Theresa May has ignored calls for water canon to be brought in but police are said to be considering plastic bullets if violence escalates.

Scotland Yard is encouraging members of the public to come forward and help identify some of the rioters whose CCTV images were released today.

Christians have taken to Twitter in the wake of the riots, tweeting their prayers and pictures of clean-up operations they have been involved in.

Pentecost Festival tweeted: “In this time of unrest prayer is our most powerful weapon! We are praying for our city today.”

Dot Tyler tweeted of the “amazing” community spirit in Clapham Junction, where large crowds have been present throughout the day to help clear up the mess left behind by the rioters.