Virgin Mary statue stolen from front yard in Clairton

CLAIRTON, Pa. (KDKA) - A Clairton man told KDKA a Virgin Mary statue that's sat outside his front lawn for decades was stolen during Holy Week. It happened off Carnegie Avenue.

For 57 years, a white statue has remained a fixture outside Mark Williams' family home, a figurine of the Virgin Mary, gifted as a housewarming present from their next-door neighbors way back when.

"My entire life, that statue has been there," Williams said.

However, as Williams left for work on Good Friday morning, he noticed it was missing.

"My whole stomach went into a knot, and I didn't know what to think," Williams said.

He knew it couldn't have blown over and that someone must have stolen it overnight.

In the days since, Williams looked in the bushes and down the street, only to come up empty-handed.

Then, he heard something from a neighbor.

"Someone apparently saw a couple of kids carrying something white down the main street, but it was heavy, they were having a hard time carrying it, and they ditched it," Williams said.

This is all Williams has to go by. He didn't file a police report but commented on the department's Facebook page, thinking they had more important cases to solve.

"It's just so hard for me to even just look at this right now," Williams said.

This Easter, as he looked at the bricks where it once stood, he asked the question, 'Why?'

"It blows my mind because I don't understand what someone would do with that," Williams said.

Williams wants those responsible to understand they didn't just steal anything but something valuable to his family.

"It's not worth anything except everything in my heart," Williams said.

He hopes they return it to the spot where it sat for decades.

"I'd love to have her back. It would mean everything in the world to me, and I'm not out to press charges, do anything; I just would like to have her back," Williams said.

Williams said the statue is about three feet tall and solid white.

He's now going to look into getting cameras outside his home in the future.

In:
• Easter