Police are investigating the theft of two church bells in and around New Brunswick’s Carleton County.
The first church bell was stolen last week from the top of St. Paul’s Anglican Church in Kirkland, about 30 kilometres from the town of Woodstock, N.B.
“In my career, it’s the first time I’ve seen two church bells missing like that,” says Cpl. Mathiew Gallienne of the New Brunswick West District RCMP.
Police later located the church bell that had been traded in at Fredericton metal yard. Cpl. Gallienne says police thought the bell was from the Kirkland Church at first.
Instead, it turned out to be a church bell from a different church,Kirk Church in Northampton, about 18 kilometres from Woodstock.
Officers say they believe that bell was taken over the past weekend.
Fredericton scrap metal shop owner, Iann Brown says it’s a bold move by the thieves.
“To me it’s a pretty heinous crime to go up on a church and cut down a bell and steal it,” he says.
Brown is the owner of the scrapyard that bought the first bell that weighs more than 200 lbs. He says he paid $414 dollars for the brass church bell.
Police are now in possession of that bell as their search for the missingonecontinues.
“We have a pretty clear video and license plate and make and model of the truck of who brought it in here,” says Brown.
Police are asking anybody with information to contact RCMP.
With files from CTV Atlantic's Nick Moore.
