Sarah Carabott, Juan Ameen
Manger snatchers strike again
Thieves targeting nativity cribs have struck again, this time also stealing from one on the sister island. Photo: Jason Borg
The infamous manger snatchers struck again this Christmas even venturing out to Gozo.
The baby Jesus statue forming part of a crib installation in Gozo and another one by the roundabout at the bottom of Ġlormu Avenue in Floriana were stolen in the past days.
The Environmental Landscape Consortium, which takes care of roundabout decorations, noticed the missing statue in Għajnsielem on Christmas Eve while the one in Floriana went missing on Boxing Day.
Another decorative statue – a large €1,000 metal bird – disappeared from a roundabout next to a petrol station in Attard on Tuesday.
ELC general manager Ronald Cuschieri said he was disgusted by the thefts.
He was of two minds on whether to highlight the missing items because he did not want to “give ideas to other people who would follow suit”.
Whoever took the statues either wanted to steal the limelight or was “mentally unstable”, he said angrily, pointing out that the consortium would not give in and would continue embellishing the roundabouts with cribs.
“We will not concede defeat,” Dr Cuschieri said, adding that the first theft had taken place in 2008.
In fact, eight days before Christmas in 2008, a baby Jesus statue was stolen from the same installation next to the Floriana car park. The ELC had replaced it with a notice informing the public that a “kind soul” had taken it. Eventually, it was replaced by another donated by the Ġużeppa Debono Home in Mġarr, Gozo.
However, on December 23, the plastic statue of Our Lady on the Regional Road was forced off its metal base and stolen along with baby Jesus. The baby Jesus statue there went missing on three consecutive Christmases.
Dr Cuschieri said that although high-quality plaster statues had been used in 2008, these were replaced by less expensive ones.
Although the consortium had expected such thefts, Dr Cuschieri questioned the “pleasure” people took in stealing the statues, year after year.
Last year, he added, two statues – one of St Mary and the other of St Joseph – were found decapitated.
“We want people to enjoy these cribs and decorations. If people don’t like them, they should look elsewhere when passing by instead of causing such distress,” he said.
The thefts have been reported to the police.
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27 Comments
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Gerry Cowie
Dec 29th 2011, 19:54
I am struggling to comprehend James Tyrrell's view of the "inappropriate" ness of the nativity scene wheresoever it appears as it traditionally involves at least three figures - Jesus, Mary and Joseph. Public cribs are common in Malta and reflect the beliefs of the majority of the population.
Janet Bayes
Dec 29th 2011, 23:11
So Gerry the beliefs of the majority of the population are that tacky plastic dummies of the type stolen are appropriate on traffic islands and roundabouts? That it is Ok to line these statues up as if the are awaiting a bus?
HOW? WHY? does this even resemble the story of christmas and its REAL meaning?
James Tyrrell
Dec 30th 2011, 02:14
Exactly the point I was trying to make Janet.
Pauline Abela
Dec 30th 2011, 12:14
@ Janet and Gerry, To you it may be tacky but to others it may not. Who made you judge of what is and isn't tacky? You are living amongst people who have celebrated Christmas in a certain way for many years. Why even bother staying in Malta if you find so much fault with it?
To those who speak of kitsch and uber-kitsch, please get a grip. Who do you think you are? Van Gogh???
Looking down on others does not make you look good.
Janet Bayes
Dec 30th 2011, 13:25
@ Pauline - - - - explain the use of TACKY plastic statues to me then? Where do they even fit into the REAL meaning of the Christmas story? Please enlighten me?
Ms.D. Galea
Dec 30th 2011, 13:59
@Ms Bayes;
if the aesthetics of the "tacky" nativity scene offends your refined artistic sense , guess what?
Go for a holiday in Iran or Saudi Arabia during the CHRISTmas season.
Pauline Abela
Dec 31st 2011, 00:05
@Janet - I don't have to explain anything to you. Where they fit into the REAL Christmas story is not any of my business either. What I find irritiating and thus a reason to post a comment is people who think that
a) they have some sort of God-given right to tell other people what they should or should not do when no harm is being done and
b) to be arrogant enough to do so in their hosts country.
I do not live in Malta but I do visit regularly. I live in Sydney. Some people do decorate their houses in Christmas and no doubt some of those decorations would be seen as 'tacky' by some. So what? I know that the kids love going for walks at night and looking at the decorations. Is it about Christ or is it about Commercialism? The answer is different for each of us.
Why look down on something that makes others happy?
David Vella
Dec 29th 2011, 14:20
Herod started with giving a hardtime to newborn Jesus some 2000yrs ago!! Seems after all this years he still has to live up with this burden!!! Symphatize with the robber/s ;-) unless they didn't put baby Jesus on their store shelves!! :-(
James Tyrrell
Dec 29th 2011, 14:10
I'm struggling to understand why these silly plastic statues are all over the place to begin with. I can sort of understand a statue of the virgin Mary in a church which somehow seems appropriate. However plastic statues of Joseph, Mary and the baby Jesus on a roundabout somehow doesn't seem appropriate.
Mr John Borg
Dec 29th 2011, 16:08
You're right Mr Tyrrell, becuase maybe for you Christmas is all about shopping, partying, eating etc.
You are probably one of those who writes Xmas instead of Christmas.
here's one for you...how about those people who don't believe in God or Christ do not get the day off work and instead work through the holidays? I'm sure many people will quickly become opportunistic believers.
Francis Coquelin
Dec 29th 2011, 16:18
This is Malta. Tackiness and kitsch rule.
Robert Mifsud
Dec 29th 2011, 18:13
How can it be that be that in 2011 people are still stuggling to understand the connection between those silly statues (as James wrote) and Christmas time.
Its difficult to think of how Christmas can be within our hearts.This is a real shame.
Prosit Mr john Borg for your comment too re comment of Mr James Tyrell.
Adrian Borg Cardona
Dec 29th 2011, 18:28
I think two contributors have misunderstood Mr. Tyrrell - he is saying that the placing the Nativity scene on a roundabout is not appropriate (check his text), and therefore is saying that the figures should be more respectfully treated - like putting them in a church.
Janet Bayes
Dec 29th 2011, 19:20
@ all James Tyrells attackers - - - how do you compute these IDOLS into your Christmas celebrations?
Plastic statues are NOT a necessary part of christian or any other belief.
James Tyrrell
Dec 29th 2011, 19:26
Obviously Mr John Borg and Robert Mifsud you are entitled to your opinions most of which regarding me are wrong anyway. If you think that tacky plastic dummies stuck on roundabouts are respectful to your religion then that's great.
Frank Muscat
Dec 29th 2011, 13:15
We are nothing more than a bunch of thieves with brains of a beast.
Asta Peterson
Dec 29th 2011, 16:28
You're not kidding my friend, we are not Maltese but whn we decided to retire in Malta, we brought all our personal belongings with us for our new farmhouse we bought on Gozo, however when we went to collect our furniture, the only thing that was missing was our old antique cribb* with all the figurines dated back from donkeys years given to us by my old grandmother back in Sweden, and guess what that was actually missing , no one at your lovely? customs knew what happend to it and why it wasn't with our furniture, its was funny really because the only item that your lovely? \maltese customs were interested in was our televison, the first think some official(LOL) did was to make us register our television and then pay an extra one time fee of 5LM. as for the rest they just didn't give two hoots. Welcome to cribb snachers Malta! Happy cribb snaching free NewYear.
Eto Demerzel
Dec 29th 2011, 12:46
I've seen too many incidents of public property being stolen, I would place a hidden still IR camera, then post the shots on the front page of news papers together with names and addresses of who stole them. Instead of spending money on prosecution required, just make these people public. If they are not self employed I'm sure their managers will be grateful :)
George Calleja
Dec 29th 2011, 12:42
Mhuh morda hekk biss jafu jaghmlu! Fostna ghad hawn min ghadu ma ccivilizzax ruhu. Cheetah, li mietet il-bierah, kienet ahjar minnhom.
Victor Pulis
Dec 29th 2011, 12:24
the police should screen all those who apply for children's allowance without legitimate proof of their offspring's birth day and location! That should the Jesusnappers!
Maria Camilleri
Dec 29th 2011, 12:16
they are so ugly, I have half a mind to steal them myself and destroy them. Uber-kitsch.
Alex Ciantar
Dec 29th 2011, 12:01
No sympathy from me!..... It is so stupid that expensive statues are placed in public places for the taking ..........its just plain asking for it.
The statues where not stolen but a teenage prank/dare is more like it.
If statues are to be placed in public places the only logical thing to do is place ones made of paper mache' which might cost a couple of euro's to make and its probably advisable to have a couple spare too.
Or is all this done every year so it is on the news?
Mr John Borg
Dec 29th 2011, 12:33
Its on the news to show the some of the Maltese's mentality and ignorance.
Similar to that of illegal hunting when a couple of cowboys get trigger happy
By your reasoning we should not have street lights installed, benches and whatever else you can think of. We should make Malta look a little more like a third-world country just becuase of some idiots who are selfish.
Eto Demerzel
Dec 29th 2011, 12:43
"its just plain asking for it." maybe for you and the likes of you. I just enjoy the decoration when I pass by, there isn't a trace of desire to steal them. So low and shameful!
Alex Ciantar
Dec 29th 2011, 19:06
@ Mr John Borg, what has street lights, benches, etc. got to do with what I said, cant you see that baby Jesus snatching has become a trend and before you know it it might even become a tradition!!
@ Eto Demerzel, what do you mean for the likes of me? I don't give a hoot what decorations there are on roundabouts neither do I have any desire to take them. My comment was that for those who do take them they are there for the taking so why pleasure them by placing expensive statues for them to steal? and good for you if you enjoy decorations...... maybe we should have Christmas 12 months a year just for you!!!
Merry Christmas!
D Grech
Dec 29th 2011, 10:37
Just microchip these statues like a GPS or something !
Mr John Borg
Dec 29th 2011, 11:32
Baby Jesus statue of plastic = €5
Microchip with GPS = €150
Makes sense D Grech. These should not be stolen in the first place...that's it!