Baby Jesus Is Missing!!

"The statues of Mary and Joseph hover over the empty space where the baby Jesus once rested in the Nativity scene in Plaza Park inside the Orange traffic circle" E.W. Fields, OC Register
Old Towne Orange is this awesome little Old Towne area. I've been down here almost years now at Country Roads! And even though we've got Chapman University here we still get a lot of "Andy of Mayberry" stuff that happens. So, as I write this blog post, please know I don't mean to offend anyone, but how can you not see the humor in the disappearance of the cement Baby Jesus? Brande and I laugh because it seems Baby Jesus gets stolen every so often. I remember one year when a drunk driver drove right through the middle of the nativity seen and wiped it out. I think the time has come for someone to donate a GPS tracking system for Baby Jesus! I really don't think stealing baby Jesus is exactly good karma for anyone! If you've seen Baby Jesus, please let the Orange PD know! Below is the article that the OC Register wrote about the disappearance of Baby Jesus.

Old Towne: Jesus is missing
December 18th, 2009, 3:52 pm · 45 Comments · posted by EUGENE W. FIELDS, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
A statue of baby Jesus was stolen from the Nativity scene in Plaza Park.

Mayor Carolyn Cavecche, who for more than 10 years has been part of the community group that sets up and takes down the scene depicting Christ’s birth, noticed the baby was missing.

“I was driving through the Plaza and out of the corner of my eye, I noticed a bare spot,” Cavecche said Friday. “We checked and, sure enough, there was a missing baby Jesus.”


The Nativity scene, in the park inside the traffic circle, consisted of a manger with statues of Mary and Joseph near the baby. Outside the manger are three wise men and two sheep. The mayor noticed Jesus was missing Wednesday afternoon.

The statue is approximately 30 inches long and 18 inches wide, weighing 10 pounds. It is valued at $400.

Sgt. Dan Adams said that wires securing baby Jesus were cut.

“You wonder what kind of person does this either as a prank or as a statement the week before Christmas,” the mayor said. “If this was just a prank, they can return it no-questions-asked to Orange Realty. We’d really like to get this one back.”

Realtor Dan Slater was one of the original volunteers to set up and take down the Nativity scene in 1999. Volunteers hope someone has a baby Jesus that can be used this year in the scene.

“It won’t be the same, but something is better than nothing,” Slater said.

Cavecche said all of the figures were special ordered from a company in Minnesota, and a replacement would not arrive in time this year.

This is the third time the statue of the infant Christ had to be replaced; it is the second time one was stolen.

“It was stolen in 2000,” the mayor said. “Our security system wasn’t as advanced and someone stole baby Jesus and we found him smashed in the downtown Plaza area.”

Three years ago, the entire Nativity scene was smashed by a drunken driver during a police pursuit. “The car hit it and just completely blew up the Nativity scene,” Cavecche said. “We were picking pieces up all over the streets and the Plaza. …

“We’ll have to try to make due this year,” Cavecche said. “If we don’t get this one back, we’ll have to try to order another piece.”

Last year, a menorah placed inside the traffic circle was stolen before the beginning of Hanukkah. The one there now was to be secured to a foundation to thwart thieves.

Slater said the fund for maintenance of the Nativity scene has $33 left in it. Anyone wishing to donate to the fund can send a check payable to Orange Nativity to the Orange Realty office, at 1537 E. Chapman Ave., Orange, Ca. 92866.

Police are asking anyone with information about the theft to call Detective Simone Mueller at 714-744-7578.
An update to the "Baby Jesus is Missing" theft. Riley came to work with us today and Brande and Riley walked down to the crime scene to check it out. And to Riley's disappointment, Baby Jesus was still missing. Hopefully someone just "borrowed" him and will return him soon!!