Several religious items were stolen Tuesday from a church in the south-western Colombian city of Huila, but returned after the priest called in the help of police and the community, reported El Tiempo.
Police were called when Father Fabio Guzman Duque awoke in the night to find that a number of things had been taken from the church.
Among the missing items were a tabernacle containing communion goblets, paintings of the Virgin Mary, three candelabras and the church’s collection boxes.
The priest used the church’s loudspeaker system to alert neighboring citizens about the robbery and appeal for their help in finding the thieves.
After patrolling the area police soon captured the criminals and were able to return the items to the church undamaged.
Father Fabio told local press that he was not so distressed by the material damage but by the “loss of morality” that the crime reflected.
