Skip to main content

'Landmark in this area': Holden residents saddened by theft of church bell, damage to belfry

Police are investigating after the bell was stolen from St. Mary's Church in Holden, Alta., causing significant damage to the belfry building.

The theft happened on Jan. 22.

Mounties say they have surveillance footage that shows an older model blue Dodge dually pickup with a push bar in front and a white canopy, followed by a white or silver SUV or van dragging the church bell and pulling it off.

Police say a blue pickup truck is one of two vehicles used to steal the bell from St. Mary's church in Holden, Alta. (Credit: RCMP)

The church secretary and treasurer says the bell was installed at the church nearly a century ago.

"We had a merchant in Holden, Mr. Black, and he donated the bell to this church in 1925. He also donated the chandelier in the church. The bell is marked with the name of the church and the year it was installed," Eileen Komarnisky told CTV News Edmonton.

"It hurts. It’s something that… I really don’t know what to say. It’s a landmark in this area. And I don’t know why anyone would want to destroy the building to get a bell."

Komarnisky says the church was built in 1907. The belfry was constructed as a separate building.

St. Mary's church in Holden. (Supplied photo.)

She hopes whoever has the bell will bring it back.

"I would love to have them drop it off. Drop it off and no charges or anything would be laid."

Anyone with information about the theft is asked to call Tofield RCMP at 780-662-3353 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.

A local man is also offering a $5,000 reward in the case.

Holden is about 100 kilometres southeast of Edmonton. 

CTVNews.ca Top Stories

N.B. man wins $64 million from Lotto 6/49

A New Brunswicker will go to bed Thursday night much richer than he was Wednesday after collecting on a winning lottery ticket he let sit on his bedroom dresser for nearly a year.

Do these exercises for core strength if you can't stomach doing planks

Planks are one of the most effective exercises for strengthening your midsection, as they target all of your major core muscles: the transverse abdominis, rectus abdominis, external obliques and internal obliques. Yet despite the popularity of various 10-minute plank challenges, planking is actually one of the most dreaded core exercises, according to many fitness experts.

Stay Connected