Police in Southern California are searching for two men who severed and stole a $50,000 bronze Jesus statue from Christ Our Savior Catholic Church in Santa Ana. The thieves cut the sculpture at its ankles, leaving only the feet on the stone base. Authorities have released surveillance footage to aid identification.
Surveillance shows the suspects in dark clothing arriving around 2 a.m. on Aug. 30. One retrieved an electric cutting tool from a bag, and both began slicing the statue from its feet, dragging it across the property. The footage also captured a distinct T‑shirt worn by one suspect.
After freeing the sculpture, the men moved it toward Segerstrom High School, where a getaway vehicle was reportedly waiting. The statue was loaded into the vehicle and fled the area. The police warn that the thieves may attempt to melt the bronze to sell the raw metal.
The church has been targeted before, including an April 22 incident that damaged wooden fence panels and portions of the statue. The Santa Ana Police Department posted the remaining bronze feet on social media and urged anyone with information to contact Detective R. Wilson at 714‑245‑8551 or RashadWilson@santa‑ana.org.
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