Stealing the carved
figure of a crucified Christ from the Futuna Chapel in Wellington’s Karori must
have taken some nerve. It’s not a small item for a start and with the arms out stretched
as they are, not easy to smuggle under a blanket. But now, ten years later,
this work carved by Jim Allen has been recovered. In terms of religious theft
the Christ figure is not the biggest object to have been nicked in NZ. Consider
the loss in sixties Taihape of an entire life sized nativity scene carved by
the same artist who made the giant Virgin Mary statue on State Highway One near
Paraparaumu. In that case though the figures were never seen again. Other
theft-of-sculptures-of-Christ stories on OTN here.
Image: Before and after the theft (reconstruction only)
