PORTLAND, Ore. — A venerated tabernacle stolen from a Catholic church during a burglary last month has been recovered, the Portland Police Bureau announced Monday – but another cherished item is still missing.
The agency reports during the overnight hours of May 28 and May 29, 2024, the St. Michael the Archangel Church at 424 Southwest Mill Street was burglarized.
One of the stolen items was a golden tabernacle engraved with Latin, which is precious to the church membership.
Church members put up flyers around the neighborhood offering a reward for its return.
Police say on the morning of Saturday, June 15, the church was notified that a woman had the tabernacle and wanted to return it.
The meeting was set, and PPB members from the Specialized Resources Division and Central Precinct made sure the tabernacle was recovered and the reward was provided.
Officers say the woman who had it is not a suspect in the burglaries and is cooperating with the investigation.
Although the tabernacle was recovered, the second stolen item, a monstrance, remains burglarized and its whereabouts are unknown.
The burglaries remain under investigation, and no one has been charged with the crimes. However, detectives believe the same suspect committed the burglaries.
If anyone has information about the location of the monstrance or the burglaries in general, they are asked to, contact Detective Carlos Ibarra at Carlos.Ibarra@police.portlandoregon.gov or call (503)823-0950. Please reference case number 24-130958.