By Katie Pearson via SWNS
A silver cross that was stolen from a church has been “mysteriously” returned – 30 years later.
The 9-inch silver altar cross vanished from All Saints’ Church in North Cerney, Gloucestershire, during a series of burglaries in 1994.
The cross vanished without a trace until it reappeared decades later on the doorstep of 88-year-old Elmore Crump, a retired verger who had served at the Church.
He found the cross in a plastic bag with a note attached that said: ‘you know where this belongs.’
The cross was a family heirloom gifted and had been gifted to the church in 1994 by Lady Murray, devoted and much-loved parishioner.
The cross has now been reinstated on the altar at All Saints’ Church.
Elmore Crump, who had served at the Church for 30 years, said: “I went to put the dog out at 6am and there it was.
“I couldn’t believe it.
“It wasn’t there when I went to bed the night before.
“Whoever returned it must be local.
“They did it overnight, they knew who I was, and they knew where to leave it.”
The cross, a silver-plated piece with a mother of pearl inset, went missing from the Church in 1994.
Its theft was part of a series of local burglaries when thieves broke into the nearby pub and rectory, stealing alcohol, cigarettes, and petrol from cars.
They left no trace of the stolen items and for decades the cross was considered lost.
However 30 years later, retired verger, Elmore, found the cross on his doorstep.
There was explanation of where the cross had been or why it had been returned, except for a note with a message in capital letters that said: ‘you know where this belongs’.
Elmore said: “I took the cross into the house and spent 3 hours cleaning it.
“It arrived all black in a plastic bag and I restored it back to silver.
“It’s light, but it’s beautiful.
“Whoever took it managed to crawl through a tiny window to get inside the sacristy.
“They could have taken more valuable items, but they only took this little cross.”
Lady Murray, who donated the cross, died in 2019, never knowing what had happened to it.
Her son, Alex Murray, said: “It’s wonderful to see the cross back where it belongs.
“My mother would have been absolutely thrilled.
“She loved the church deeply and wanted the cross to have significance beyond our family.
“Like the whole community, she was distraught when it was stolen.”
The cross is now reinstated on the altar at All Saints.’
Churchwarden Mark Tufnell said: “By good fortune, someone decided to return it.
“It’s a beautiful piece, and the congregation is delighted to have it back.
“We’re now keeping it locked away in the strongroom when not in use, ensuring it doesn’t suffer the same fate again.”
