'Despicable' theft from hospital chapel

3 hours ago

Angela FergusonNorth West

News image — The tabernacle was taken from the hospital's chapel on Wednesday afternoon, police said

BBC An external view of Arrowe Park Hospital, showing a blue and white sign on a grassy area. The glare of lights along a road coming out of the hospital can also be seen. — The tabernacle was taken from the hospital's chapel on Wednesday afternoon, police said

A hospital is appealing for the return of a religious artefact from its chapel after it was apparently seen being taken away in a wheelchair.

Wirral's Arrowe Park hospital's tabernacle - a large brass urn - was taken shortly after 12:50 BST on Wednesday.

A man was seen wheeling it away in the direction of the nearby football pitches

Police are now investigating the theft, which an inspector described as "despicable".

Insp Sharon Robinson said: "This tabernacle is of huge religious and spiritual significance, and we would appeal to anyone aware of its location to contact us so that we can return it to the hospital chapel and bring the offender to justice."

The tabernacle taken from the hospital chapel is about 18in (45cm) to 24in (60cm) tall and cylindrical with a dome top and sliding door.

Antique Church Furnishings A stock image of a brass cylindrical tabernacle with a religious engraving and a domed top. It is placed on a black cloth and wooden panelling and some trailing plant foliage can be seen behind it. — The tabernacle stolen from the hospital chapel is similar to the one pictured here, but does not have a cross on the top, the hospital trust said

The suspect was described as white and of slim build and was wearing a grey/black bobble hat with a surgical mask, a dark-coloured coat and jogging bottoms and trainers.

He was carrying a black Adidas bag with red text on it.

A police spokesperson said the force was examining CCTV footage as part of its investigation.

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