Thieves Steal Baby Jesus From Manger at City Hall

For the third year in a row, thieves plucked the Baby Jesus from his manger, along with a couple animals that watch over him outside Peabody City Hall, and made off with the nativity figurines.

Tim Barry of the Knights of Columbus, which installs the creche each year in front of City Hall, told the Daily Item of Lynn that the nativity pieces first went missing the weekend before Christmas.

Barry said he called police on Christmas Eve and was informed that officers found the entire display tipped over a few days earlier.

Barry told the Item he had actually hid the figurine underneath burlap and hay in the manger this year in an attempt to trick would-be kidnappers and then attached a string to it all that could be pulled from outside the plexiglass.

He said the Knights have spent about $200 each year to replace the stolen figurines and are considering just ending 15 years of tradition and not put the display up again next year.