Police in Southern California are searching for two men who stole a $50,000 bronze statue of Jesus from the Christ Our Savior Catholic Church in Santa Ana. The theft, which occurred at 2 a.m. on August 30, left only the statue's legs on its stone base.
Theft Details
Santa Ana police reported that surveillance video shows two suspects dressed in dark clothing entering the church grounds. The men arrived with a bag and used a power tool to cut the statue off at the ankle. One police spokesperson stated, "One of the suspects took the cutting tool out of the bag, and both suspects began to detach the statue from its legs and pulled it from the church grounds."
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Risk of Melting Down the Artwork
After freeing the statue, the suspects dragged it from the church grounds toward Segerstrom High School. Authorities believe a getaway vehicle was waiting nearby, where the men loaded the statue into the car and fled. Images released by Santa Ana police show the remnants of the display: two hollow bronze legs still attached to the stone. This part of the church's property had been targeted for theft in the past.
The August theft followed a previous incident on April 22, when suspects entered the church grounds by damaging wooden panels and cut parts of the same bronze statue, resulting in significant financial losses.
Police have released surveillance videos in hopes that the public can help identify the suspects. Although one of the suspects covered his face, the other was wearing a distinctive t-shirt that investigators hope someone can recognize.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective R. Wilson at 714-245-8551.
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Source: independent.co.uk
