A church community in the outskirts of Fredericton faced a theft during the holiday season as a significant historic bell on display at St. Peter’s Anglican Church was stolen in the early hours following Christmas. The former minister, Ross Hebb, expressed the community’s desire for the return of the bell, highlighting the weight and material of the stolen artifact. The congregation, despite fluctuations in size, remains closely knit and continues to gather at the church, constructed in 1837.
The theft was noticed after parishioners observed loose chains on Christmas Eve, initially attributing it to the weather conditions. However, it is now believed that thieves removed the chains to take the bell but were deterred by its weight. Hebb lamented the lack of respect shown by the perpetrators and emphasized the sentimental and historical value of the bell to the church community.
The stolen bell, estimated to be several hundred pounds and primarily brass, has been a cherished historical artifact displayed outside the church. The incident was reported to the Fredericton police, who are investigating the theft and seeking information regarding a suspicious black pickup truck captured near the scene. Despite the church’s visibility from Woodstock Road, security cameras were not installed on the property, as the church values trust in the community.
Hebb elaborated on the bell’s origin, tracing it back to the Loyalists’ arrival in Fredericton and the subsequent construction of the first Anglican church. The bell, initially procured from England in 1825, held historical significance and was maintained as a cultural and architectural relic by St. Peter’s. The theft of this symbolic piece has left the community disheartened, reflecting on the irreplaceable loss of a piece of local history.