Statue of St. Ambrose stolen from Salt Lake City church

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(ABC 4 News)

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah ( ABC 4 News)- Is a serial statue thief roaming Salt Lake City? Salt Lake City police say first a Little Mermaid statue was stolen last month at the International Peace Gardens at Jordan Park.

Sunday morning another statue was missing. This one was at the St. Ambrose Catholic Church at 1975 south 2300 east. Parishioners believe the statue was stolen late Friday. Many can’t believe someone could commit such a crime.

Parishioner David Halliday says Sunday morning he realized something was wrong. Halliday said, “We showed up for mass today and St. Ambrose was gone.” All that was left of the 8-foot statue were three screws on the concrete base.

The huge bronze Defender of Orthodoxy had been greeting people entering the church for 22 years. Halliday said,” Great statue, he’s holding a book in one hand, and a sword in the other.”

The statue originally cost $30,000, some say it’s priceless. The Little Mermaid statue was at the International Peace Gardens for more than 50 years before it was stolen last month.

The statue has been a mainstay at Jordan Park since 1955. However, at just over 3 feet it was dwarfed by the St. Ambrose statue.

Salt Lake City police aren’t sure if the two crimes are connected. Nevertheless, people at the St. Ambrose Church believe things happen for a reason. Lynn Jackson said,” We need to be praying for the people who did this you know. Maybe that’s the plan that they’re certainly in deep trouble.”

Salt Lake City Police Captain Mark Scharman says it’ll be hard to move the statue on the street. He says melt down companies and pawnshops won’t touch it because it’s a stolen item.

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