A theft from an east Medford front yard has the victim not seeking retribution but forgiveness and salvation for the perpetrator.

Relfe Patterson doesn’t want to prosecute whoever snatched the hollow, illuminated plastic representation of the son of God from his nativity scene on Friday. In fact, if the person or persons responsible were to show up at his door, he would gladly give them the rest of the lighted nativity scene to complete their collection.

"Jesus would do the same thing," Patterson said. "It would be my gift to them. And if they came to the house I’d give them a free Bible, too."

The nativity scene has graced Patterson’s yard at the 300 block of Cerritos Avenue for eight Christmases. This is the first time the figures have been disturbed, Patterson said.

The suspect probably had to work to get the baby Jesus loose, as it was wired to the ground to keep the wind from knocking the display over. The rest of the scene was wrecked, also. The Virgin Mary figure was tossed on its side and the electrical cord and bulb that lit the baby Jesus had been ripped out and left on the ground, Patterson said.

Advertisement

Patterson contacted Medford police after finding the manger’s cradle empty. They didn’t send an officer to the scene, choosing instead to take the report over the phone — which irked Patterson a little.

"I was a little unhappy with them," he said. "But it may not have been important to them, because they have to deal with drugs and stuff every day."

Many houses in his neighborhood are cocooned in red and green lights, and inflatable reindeer graze in nearby yards. But Patterson chooses to keep it simple. The nativity scene is his only significant outdoor Christmas decoration. That makes the theft that much harder to take.

"I was disgusted and upset," he said. "It’s kind of worthless without the main figure."

He unplugged the lights inside the figures and rolled up the extension cord soon after the incident.

"I haven’t lit it up since they stole the baby Jesus from it," he said.

Patterson plans to keep the scene unlit from here on. It just wouldn’t be right to see the other figures glowing brightly while the cradle sits empty, he said.

Reach reporter Chris Conradat 776-4471, or e-mail cconrad@mailtribune.com.