Police: Several Religious Statues Snatched From Lawns, Front Steps In New Jersey Town

NUTLEY, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- A heartbroken homeowner wants to know why someone would steal a sacred statue from her lawn, and she's not alone.

Police were searching Wednesday for a suspect who has been on an apparent robbery spree in Nutley, CBS2's Vanessa Murdock reported.

Maria Palmisano said she felt like crying when she discovered her statue of St. Anthony had been stolen.

"I don't do nothing to nobody. I don't know why someone would steal my statue," she said.

"My father-in-law, now deceased, had gotten it for her," daughter-in-law Denise Palmisano said.

A compassionate neighbor heard the news and bought her a sacred heart to put in its place. It's now glued down.

Just down the street, an elephant stands where the Virgin Mary used to. The owner, who didn't want to speak on camera, said she can't understand why or who would want to steal it.

Officials say the cherished items range between $200 and $700.

Sgt. Anthony Montanari, a detective with Nutley police, said there have been nine religious statues stolen over the past several months, along with other items like flower pots and lawn ornaments.

"We believe it may be the same actor or couple of actors," he said.

Police said the situation is always the same: items stolen at night from the front steps or front lawn.

"Police believe the suspect or suspects may live in town and could be using this pipeline to stay out of sight and transport the stolen goods," Montanari said.

William Cook told CBS2 his statue of St. Francis of Assissi has thankfully gone untouched, likely because it's glued down and it weighs about 50 pounds.

"To lift that he's got to be a weightlifter, somebody younger and stronger than I am," Cook said.

Police are now looking for a man captured on surveillance video who appears to be white and in his mid-20s making off with patio furniture Wednesday. He took one piece, then returned 20 minutes later to snag another, police said.

It's possible he's also behind the disappearance of St. Anthony from Palmisano's front yard. Police are asking anyone else with surveillance video to come forward in hopes of clearly identifying a person or vehicle of interest.