The Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the theft of a 200-pound steel cross from the Anglican Church of Atonement in Fountain Hills earlier this month.

Rev. John LesCallett, Vicar, said the cross was taken between Thursday, Oct. 11, and Sunday morning, Oct. 14.

The cross was custom made for the church in Mexico and donated to the church when the church was built 15 years ago. The cross stood on top of the roof.

It was a simple steel cross and had no real value except to the church, LesCallett said.

The cross was blown over onto the roof during a storm earlier this summer. Church officials decided to remove the cross to avoid further damage.

A roofer was hired to oversee that work and a crane was used to lower the cross from the roof into an entry area next to the church building. It was a planting area under the overhang and could not be seen from the street, according to LesCallett. He did say they noticed that light bulbs in the entry area had been disengaged to keep the area dark.

A church employee had contacted scrap metal yards to put the word out and Drew Schmitt, the roofer, also put out word for people to look for the cross or report if they heard anything about it.

Anyone with information should contact the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office.