Bremen Church is relieved that the stolen bell has reappeared. “There is great joy in our community,” said Pastor Angela Walther of the Community Evangelical Church in Neue Vahr. “Many people were not only shocked but also saddened by the theft.” A recycling center employee returned a bell stolen by an unknown person on Tuesday evening.
The thief sells the bell
According to information, thieves removed the bell mount two weeks ago. A church employee discovered this and the strangers fled. The community then secured the bell with iron chains and locks – but to no avail.
On Tuesday evening the robbers returned and took the bell. This time no one noticed anything about the action. “We didn’t even realize it,” Walther said. “The next morning the bell rang.”
Two men sold the bell to a recycling center employee, who shouted loudly POLICE initially did not know about the theft. Hearing the incident, he reported it to the police. The suspicion was confirmed.
Precious bells
Police estimated the value of the bell at around 10,000 euros. However, for the people of the Vahr district in Bremen, it is more than that. Many felt connected to the bell, which hung in the middle of the square between a child care center and a social department store after the church’s dilapidated tower was demolished. Anyone who wishes can ring the bell as they pass by.
People in the district reacted with shock and confusion at the disappearance of the bell. “The apparent gaps in those warning bells hurt a lot of people,” Walther said. A small child cried when he found out about the theft.
A local resident got creative and simply hung the porcelain bell in place. The theft was violent, the man said shortly after the crime was discovered. With the replacement in miniature format, he wanted to pay tribute to the stolen bell and entertain the people. “That we get a little joy out of it.”
When will the bells come back?
Three days after the crime, the good news: the police confiscated the stolen goods. “The bronze bell, which weighs around 300 kilograms, will soon be handed back to the parish,” said the official.
The community will decide in the next few weeks or months when the bells will return and how to secure them. “We are happy today because our bells will soon be back where they belong,” said Angela Walther. When exactly this will happen is still unclear.
© dpa-infocom, dpa:251121-930-320179/3
