Overnight, someone quietly pulled off a very loud crime at St. Anne’s Catholic Church in downtown Lodi, making off with a nearly 150-year-old bronze bell that had hung over generations of parish life.
Parishioners arriving at the church Friday found the bell gone and described the theft as devastating. The bronze piece, cast in 1874 and long woven into the church’s daily rhythm, was discovered missing from its place at St. Anne’s, leaving the small congregation stunned and grieving the loss of what they say felt less like an object and more like a member of the parish family.
According to ABC10, parishioners said they were “frustrated and heartbroken” after discovering that the 1874 bell had been taken sometime overnight.
St. Anne’s history and location
St. Anne’s has been a spiritual anchor in Lodi’s downtown core for decades, serving generations of the city’s Catholic community from its location in the heart of town. The parish bulletin lists the church’s address as 215 W. Walnut St. and provides contact information for both the parish office and the school, which parish leaders say they are using to help organize efforts to track down the missing bell.
St. Anne’s parish bulletin lists the church address and office phone for the congregation.
Why historic bells are targeted
Historic bells like St. Anne’s 19th-century bronze are tempting targets because their metal can bring in cash on the scrap market or, in some cases, be resold intact to less-than-curious buyers. Similar thefts have rattled communities across the Bay Area and beyond, where residents worried their stolen bells would wind up melted down for metal rather than restored to their rightful towers. CBS San Francisco has covered past incidents that raised those fears.
At the same time, bell restorers and historians point out that legitimate buyers usually demand paperwork and clear provenance before taking on a large historic bell. That extra scrutiny can push stolen bells into more secretive resale channels instead of aboveboard dealers. For a look at how church bells typically move through both legitimate and illicit markets, see a discussion in Holy Cross Magazine.
How to help
Anyone with information about the theft is asked to contact the Lodi Police non-emergency line at (209) 333-6728, or the St. Anne’s parish office at (209) 369-1907.
Lodi Police list the non-emergency phone line and other contact options for reporting tips.
