Thursday, December 14, 2006 at 2:02am
Police seek Baby Jesus thief
The Baby Jesus is missing from several nativity displays in Columbus, Neb.
The airwaves were crackling Tuesday with police radio reports of a dozen thefts of plastic baby Jesuses from residents' front-yard nativity scenes. The reports began in the morning and spiked with seven during a three-hour period in the early-evening.
"We're after the baby Jesus thief,' said Columbus Police Officer Jodi Heft this morning. "I've never seen anything like it before."
The baby Jesus, snatched from mangers, is the only missing figure from the nativity scenes. Mary and Joseph, the Three Wise Men and shepherds were left untouched in most thefts. A sheep was stolen in one of the thefts.
"It's all baby Jesus, nothing else,' Hefti said.
The police department began receiving theft calls shortly after 9 a.m. when a baby Jesus was reported stolen at 1509 10th St. A series of seven reports began with a 4:37 p.m. report of a baby Jesus and a sheep stolen at 3004 34th St., the Columbus Telegrah reported.
People apparently didn't notice the missing Jesuses when they left for work in the morning, but did notice the figure was missing after they got home in the afternoon, Hefti said.
Police believe they are looking for the same suspect or suspects in all the thefts. The suspect(s) could have been driving around and as they saw nativity scenes, stopped and stole the baby Jesus figures, Hefti said.
Hefti said the surge in baby Jesus thefts should serve as a reminder to residents to take some steps to deter the theft and destruction of outside holiday ornaments.
The airwaves were crackling Tuesday with police radio reports of a dozen thefts of plastic baby Jesuses from residents' front-yard nativity scenes. The reports began in the morning and spiked with seven during a three-hour period in the early-evening.
"We're after the baby Jesus thief,' said Columbus Police Officer Jodi Heft this morning. "I've never seen anything like it before."
The baby Jesus, snatched from mangers, is the only missing figure from the nativity scenes. Mary and Joseph, the Three Wise Men and shepherds were left untouched in most thefts. A sheep was stolen in one of the thefts.
"It's all baby Jesus, nothing else,' Hefti said.
The police department began receiving theft calls shortly after 9 a.m. when a baby Jesus was reported stolen at 1509 10th St. A series of seven reports began with a 4:37 p.m. report of a baby Jesus and a sheep stolen at 3004 34th St., the Columbus Telegrah reported.
People apparently didn't notice the missing Jesuses when they left for work in the morning, but did notice the figure was missing after they got home in the afternoon, Hefti said.
Police believe they are looking for the same suspect or suspects in all the thefts. The suspect(s) could have been driving around and as they saw nativity scenes, stopped and stole the baby Jesus figures, Hefti said.
Hefti said the surge in baby Jesus thefts should serve as a reminder to residents to take some steps to deter the theft and destruction of outside holiday ornaments.