Two suspects steal $50,000 bronze Jesus statue from Santa Ana church, leaving feet behind
Police are searching for two men who used an electric cutter to remove a $50,000 bronze Jesus statue from Christ Our Savior Catholic Church in Santa Ana, abandoning the statue’s feet at the scene.
At approximately 2 a.m. on Aug. 30, two men entered Christ Our Savior Catholic Church in Santa Ana, carrying a bag and an electric cutting tool, and began cutting a $50,000 bronze statue of Jesus. After severing the figure, they hauled it across the church grounds toward Segerstrom High School, where police believe a vehicle was positioned for their escape. The suspects loaded the statue into the car and drove away, leaving only the statue’s feet at the crime scene.
This theft follows an earlier incident in April in which parts of another bronze statue were stolen from the same property, also involving a cutting tool and causing extensive damage. The case adds to a recent spate of bronze-related thefts across Orange County, including a February arrest of a Long Beach resident for stealing multiple bronze plaques. Detectives R. Wilson are asking the public to provide any leads about the missing statue.
