ALTON - A St. Francis statue stolen from the Episcopal Parish of Alton was scrapped in St. Louis less than 48 hours after the theft for roughly $100, according to Fr. Garron C. Daniels.
The hammered copper St. Francis statue that had stood for decades in the St. Paul's Garden at the Episcopal Parish of Alton was stolen sometime between Saturday evening, Sept. 12, 2026, and Sunday morning, Sept. 13, 2026.
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The statue was made by Hillis Arnold, a well-known St. Louis artist, and had been, as Daniels described, "an iconic part" of what made the garden special for years.
In a message to the parish, Daniels said the Alton Police Department had identified those responsible for stealing the statue. His message did not specify when the theft occurred or a motive.
“Of course, I am upset, frustrated, and angry. But our calling of mercy and forgiveness as Christians is still the same,” Daniels wrote. “I meant what I said before. I love these people still. And I forgive them.”
Daniels said those responsible still must face the consequences of their actions, leaving that process to the justice system and Alton police detectives.
The parish’s next step is to work with its insurance company to explore replacing the statue, he said.
“It won't be the same, and of course we wish we still had our original statue, but this can still be a new and beautiful chapter for our Parish,” Daniels said in his message.
He pledged to keep parish members updated and asked them to pray for those who stole the statue.
