‘A Christmas miracle’: Stolen nativity scene found miles away

PALMER, Alaska (KTUU/Gray News) - Community tips led to the recovery of a valuable nativity scene that apparently was stolen earlier this week, miles from where it was last seen.

The nativity scene, which sits inside a handcrafted wooden crèche cabin valued at tens of thousands of dollars, went missing from the parking lot at St. Michael’s Parish in Palmer sometime on Tuesday or Wednesday while sitting on a flatbed trailer, according to Father Michael Shields with the church.

Shields said community tips on Facebook led to a reported sighting along the Glenn Highway near Chickaloon.

“So one o’clock [Thursday] night, I got in my car to find it,” Shields said. “So I drove up to Chickaloon to see if I could find it.”

The pastor said he made the late-night drive down the highway but didn’t see it.

Palmer police, however, did. Officers contacted Shields as he was looking for the scene and confirmed they had found it, still in good condition.

Shields said it’s still not known who stole it, but he believes whoever took it abandoned it after the trailer’s tires went flat. He said it was found partly hidden among trees.

“It’s a Christmas miracle because honestly, I didn’t think we were going to get it back, to be honest,” he said.

The pastor said the nativity scene was created over seven years, built and paid for by the parishioners of his church. The figures were molded after the Italian image of Jesus, he said, adding that the figurines are valued at around $25,000 to $30,000.

Shields said the scene will be placed near the Palmer train depot near the center of town.

Shields was heartened by the community response as news of the theft spread quickly on social media.

“It went all through the Valley, Glennallen to Valdez,” he said. “And so everybody showed such beautiful concern and hope.”