Fredericton police are asking for the public’s help after a large brass bell was stolen from St. Peter’s Anglican Church on Woodstock Road late last month.
In an update provided afternoon, officers recovered part of the bell, which was found destroyed in a ditch. The recovered portion has been secured, while the remainder of the bell remains outstanding.
The Fredericton Police Force says the theft occurred on Dec. 29, 2025, at about 2:14 a.m., and investigators believe a black four-door Ford F-150 pickup truck was involved.
Ross Hebb, a former rector of St. Peter’s Anglican Church, said parishioners first noticed something unusual when they arrived for Christmas Eve services.
“They noticed that the chain that was connected to the bell seemed to be broken. It was hanging down loosely, which is very odd because it was always up and in place,” Hebb said.
“At the time, they thought maybe the frost or something had loosened it.”
Hebb said the bell disappeared sometime later that night.
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“I guess it was on Christmas night that the bell walked away,” he said.
He said the bell’s size and weight suggest the theft required planning.
“We estimate between 300 and 400 pounds,” Hebb said. “So that’s not the sort of thing that one man or even two men could pick up and carry away.”
Hebb said he was shocked when he learned the bell had been stolen.
“I was just amazed,” he said. “I said, are we really living in a day and age in which people steal church bells, you know, historic church bells?
“That bell has been out there for decade after decade after decades. It never crossed my mind that we need security to maintain a historic church bell in place.”
Hebb said he believes the bell was taken for its material value.
“I don’t think they stole it for its historical significance,” he said. “They are stealing it because of what they think is its pecuniary worth.”
The bell holds significant historical importance. Hebb said it was forged in England in 1820 and used by early Anglican congregations in Fredericton.
“So it called Frederictonians to worship of Almighty God in the early 1830s forward,” he said.
“It is part of our collective history, not just our religious history, but our cultural history here in New Brunswick and for all Canadians as far as that goes.”
Police say the partial recovery was made possible thanks to a tip from a member of the public. The Fredericton Police Force is thanking the community for its continued assistance and cooperation.
Police say an image of the suspected truck was captured by a nearby security camera.
Hebb said investigators are hoping additional information will help identify those responsible. The investigation is ongoing.
“They think that with that image, and if they can get some other pieces of information, little pieces that may appear inconsequential to individuals, they may be able to piece together more of the whole story,” he said.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Fredericton Police Force or Crime Stoppers.
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