PHILADELPHIA — A break-in occurred at St. John the Evangelist Roman Catholic Church in Philadelphia, where a man reportedly stole a historic crown adorned with jewels that had been placed on a marble statue of the Virgin Mary for the past 125 years, according to local law enforcement.
The incident took place in the early hours of Saturday, around 1:10 a.m., when the intruder broke a stained-glass window to gain entry, as detailed by authorities. Surveillance footage of the burglary was made public by the police on Monday.
After entering the church, the suspect climbed to the upper nave and headed directly for the statue and its crown, as stated by Anne Kirkwood, the church’s archivist, in an interview with local media.
Church staff discovered the aftermath of the break-in while they were preparing for a baptism ceremony on Sunday. They noticed shattered glass and quickly realized the crown was missing. Kirkwood elaborated that the crown was crafted by James E. Caldwell & Co. circa 1900 using jewelry and precious stones donated by parishioners. This was a gesture to commemorate the church’s reopening following a fire in 1899.
Additionally, the broken stained-glass window, which now bears the marks of the break-in, also holds historical significance as it dates back to the church’s reopening in 1902 and was made in Munich, Germany.