WASHINGTON – Someone stole baby Jesus.

The figure, part of a larger nativity scene at a Fredericksburg shopping center, went missing Tuesday night, says Natatia Bledsoe, spokesperson with the Fredericksburg Police Department.

The scene, at the Central Park Shopping Center in the 1000 block of Carl D. Silver Parkway, features Mary and Joseph standing over a baby Jesus.

Maintenance personnel discovered the figure was missing early Wednesday morning.

Bledsoe says the baby Jesus was stolen from the same location in 2005. Then, the figure was returned to the scene within a few hours.

“We’re hoping that same thing will happen again,” she says.

To prevent thefts, the Rappaport Companies — the management firm that overseas the shopping center — had filled the figure with about 80 pounds of concrete. But the thieves were able to steal it anyway.

WTOP will provide you updates as they become available.

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