Thieves steal biblical figures from nativity scene

The nativity scene with the three figures in a belfry before they went missing on Friday evening .PHOTO / ST PETER'S ANGLICAN CHURCH

The spirit of Christmas has gone from Waipu.

It's not that the town has had enough of the festive season, just that some mindless thief or thieves have stolen Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus - the reason for the season - from a nativity scene set-up as part of the town's Christmas celebrations. The figures lying in a simple wooden feeding trough have gone missing, swiped on Boxing Day three days after they were set up in a belfry outside St Peter's Anglican Church in Waipu.

The Anglican community of Bream Bay hope the figures will find their way back home so they can be a part of Christmas celebrations next year.

Church representative Steve Goldthorpe and his wife Elaine transformed the belfry into a nativity scene two days before Christmas using bales of straw, sacking and two old shop dummies that represented Mary and Joseph. Pieces of fabric on a child's doll represented baby Jesus. It was the first time in the church's nearly 60-year history that the scene was set outdoors. Mr Goldthorpe said the old dummies were given to the church years ago but they were too big for use inside the church.

"There was just a simple image of that very first Christmas present from God to all people - to remind the Waipu community of the reason for the season," Mr Goldthorpe said.

On Saturday morning, a church member discovered the figures missing from their stable setting. "The figures have no monetary value. It was probably somebody who had a few drinks, but possibly someone who was offended by the symbolism," Mr Goldthorpe said.

He joked that the missing figures must have gone to spread the message of peace on Earth and goodwill to all men out into the wider community. "Without the figures ... the scene under the little belfry looked a bit like Jesus' tomb on Easter morning."