‘Who in the world would want to take a church bell?’ Centuries-old relic weighing hundreds of pounds stolen

Security footage appears to show a truck approaching the church to steal the historic bell, but the license plate could not be identified. Sarah Plowman reports

Parishioners at a church in Fredericton say they’re heartbroken and bewildered after someone stole a large, brass church bell from the church yard earlier this week.

“It’s a sad situation, what’s happening in the world today,” said Sharon Vickers, the churchwarden at St. Peter’s Anglican Church along Woodstock Road in Fredericton.

“To think that somebody has to be driving around looking for something to take that has a meaning to it and it’s not a concern to those people is so unfortunate,” Vickers added.

“I would like to see them return the bell.”

Father Ross Hebb, the former minister at St. Peter’s said, his first reaction was one of bewilderment.

“Who in the world would want to take a church bell?” Hebb asked.

Fredericton Police Force released an image of a black four-door Ford F-150 truck they say was involved in the theft. Nearby surveillance cameras captured the truck in the area around 2:14 a.m. Monday. The licence plate number is unknown.

When examining the chains the bell used to hang from, it’s clear the links were cut.

Hebb said the more-than-200-year-old bell was primarily made out of brass. He estimates it weighs between 300 and 400 pounds.

Thieves left a trail of damage when they drove over flood lights, a signpost and shrubs.

“Obviously didn’t care about destroying things to get to the bell,” said Ruth Roussy, who lives next door and notes the church is the centrepiece of her neighbourhood.

“The congregation here, they take such good care of this church. They care for it like their own homes and, and for this to happen ... very discouraging.”

Hebb explained it’s believed the bell was made in England in 1820 for the original Christ Church in Fredericton that was built in the late 1700s. He said when that church was torn down and replaced with a new cathedral, the bell ended up at St. Peter’s. It had been outside for more than 50 years.

“It’s part of our collective heritage and culture. And, you know, certainly it’s not something we just want to see tossed away or melted down,” said Hebb.

St. Peter’s is historically significant to the area. Built in the 1830s by the local Black community, white and Black parishioners worshipped there together at a time when segregation was the norm.

“This church has been up and open continuously,” said Hebb. “And that makes it the oldest church of any denomination in continuous use in the greater Fredericton area.”

The Fredericton Police Force is asking anyone with information about the incident to contact them at [phone]. Anonymous tips can be submitted to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or online at www.crimenb.ca.