A Baby Jesus statue that was taken from a Nativity scene outside the H. Lee Dennison Building in Hauppauge has been returned to its manger, Suffolk County officials confirmed last Saturday. The statue, which is part of an annual display donated by St. Michael the Archangel Chapel in Farmingville, went missing between Christmas Eve and New Year's Day, prompting a search by local police and their K-9 units.
Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine and Suffolk County Police Department Commissioner Kevin Catalina requested the return of the statue during a Friday press conference. Romaine said that the removal of the Baby Jesus from the display was not acceptable, as reported by the New York Post.
Catalina addressed the significance of the theft and its relevance to Christian traditions, according to a News 12 Long Island report. The details of the statue’s disappearance and return remain unclear, and no arrests have been made in connection with the incident. Police stated that the individual returning the statue would not be questioned or detained, and Romaine confirmed that the statue would be accepted without conditions.
The incident drew attention in the local community, and police have not ruled out the possibility that the theft was a hate crime. Authorities thanked the public for their assistance in recovering the statue.
