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Police: Teens Planned To Burn 27 Stolen Baby Jesus Statues
WNBC-TV NEWS ^ | 1-3-2005

Posted on 01/03/2006 7:10:31 AM PST by Cagey

SAYREVILLE, N.J. -- Four teens stole 27 baby Jesus statues from nativity scenes outside churches and homes and planned to burn them, police said.

Two of the suspects, who ranged from 15 to 19 years old, said they acted out of boredom, authorities said.

"They were looking for things to do," Detective Ken Kelly said. "They told us, 'We were going to have a baby Jesus burning party."'

One suspect told detectives, "We just wanted to see their heads burning," Kelly said.

The suspects, who were arrested Monday, face charges of theft, criminal mischief, destruction of venerated objects and conspiracy, and could face five years in prison if convicted.

Robert Olson, whose 18-year-old son, Christopher, was charged, said he and his family were shocked by the arrest.

"Although Chris is sometimes misguided, this was not something we expected out of him," he said.

Olson said his son is unemployed and working toward resuming his high school education. The teen is on probation for a disorderly persons offense involving a disagreement with a neighbor, his father said.

"I hope my son and the others will come to grips with what they've done and make full restitution and get whatever help they need to get rid of those feelings," Olson said.

Frank Payne, whose 19-year-old son, Michael, also was charged, said bias was not a factor.

"Michael has been hanging around with the wrong people," he said. "He goes to college. He's an outstanding young kid."

Also charged were 18-year-old Nicholas Hess and a 15-year-old who was not identified due to his age.


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; US: New Jersey
KEYWORDS: babyjesus; nativity; statues; teens; theft; waronchristmas
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Video at linked Source.

1 posted on 01/03/2006 7:10:31 AM PST by Cagey
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I'd imagine these teens will be doing a lot of burning eventually.


2 posted on 01/03/2006 7:11:15 AM PST by SmoothTalker
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To: Cagey

Spare the rod...


3 posted on 01/03/2006 7:12:41 AM PST by atomicpossum (Replies should be as pedantic as possible. I love that so much.)
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To: SmoothTalker

They mock christianity by this, and yet, they'll be in for a shock when Karma kicks their a**es.


4 posted on 01/03/2006 7:12:58 AM PST by benjibrowder (The government (at all levels) should not be involved in the education business.)
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To: Cagey
"Michael has been hanging around with the wrong people," he said. "He goes to college.

Nuff said!

5 posted on 01/03/2006 7:13:45 AM PST by airborne (If being a Christian was a crime, would there be enough evidence to convict you?)
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To: Cagey

"Out of bordom". The kids need some serious community service time.


6 posted on 01/03/2006 7:15:51 AM PST by Lucretia Borgia
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To: Cagey

If it were the symbol for any other group this would be a "hate crime" and the MSM would be covering it 24/7.


7 posted on 01/03/2006 7:15:56 AM PST by cvq3842
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To: Cagey
He's an outstanding young kid."

Yah know dad, in my book "outstanding young kids" don't steal and commit sacrilegious acts for FUN!

He's a punk, pure and simple.

8 posted on 01/03/2006 7:16:24 AM PST by SoftballMominVA
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To: airborne

>>"Although Chris is sometimes misguided...<<
A "misguided" brat who needs an overdue ass spanking.


9 posted on 01/03/2006 7:16:38 AM PST by travlnmn41
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To: Cagey
acted out of boredom

How sad, in this day and age, teenagers cannot find something constructive to do, apparently they were never taught "thou shalt not steal", "thou shalt not covet they neighbors goods", did I mention THOU SHALT NOT STEAL.

10 posted on 01/03/2006 7:18:12 AM PST by rockabyebaby (I'm not afraid to say out loud what the rest of you are afraid to admit.)
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To: Cagey
Frank Payne, whose 19-year-old son, Michael, also was charged, said bias was not a factor.

Noooo...perish the thought. Who would ever think that stealing 27 baby Jesus's with the intent to burn them would demonstrate any sort of bias?

"Michael has been hanging around with the wrong people," he said. "He goes to college. He's an outstanding young kid."

Certainly his behavior here demonstrates that.

< /sarcasm >

11 posted on 01/03/2006 7:18:19 AM PST by Spiff ("They start yelling, 'Murderer!' 'Traitor!' They call me by name." - Gael Murphy, Code Pink leader)
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To: Cagey

I wonder what would've been done if they had stolen Kwanzaa maize or some muslims' headscarves to burn...


12 posted on 01/03/2006 7:19:21 AM PST by LongElegantLegs (Puppymillalicious!)
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To: travlnmn41

"Olson said his son is unemployed and working toward resuming his high school education."

Can anyone explain how one, "works toward resuming" something?
Sounds like imminent denial to me.


13 posted on 01/03/2006 7:20:45 AM PST by yer gonna put yer eye out (To liberals, using large words is an acceptable substitute for logic...)
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To: Lucretia Borgia

How does that saying go about...

"Join the Army! See new places! Meet new people!"

Or was it the Navy?


14 posted on 01/03/2006 7:22:15 AM PST by coconutt2000 (NO MORE PEACE FOR OIL!!! DOWN WITH TYRANTS, TERRORISTS, AND TIMIDCRATS!!!! (3-T's For World Peace))
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To: Cagey
Two of the suspects, who ranged from 15 to 19 years old, said they acted out of boredom, authorities said.

At least two of the subjects should have had their parents assigning enough work at home that they didn't have the opportunity to be bored.

"Although Chris is sometimes misguided, this was not something we expected out of him," he said.

"We haven't whacked him on the backside in the past when he did things wrong, so he naturally expected he could do this without any kind of consequences."

"I hope my son and the others will come to grips with what they've done and make full restitution and get whatever help they need to get rid of those feelings," Olson said.

"We value how my son feels about himself more than we value his failure to live up to simple, basic responsibilities of society."

Olson said his son is unemployed and working toward resuming his high school education.

Olson's son will hopefully have plenty of time to work towards his high school GED while doing hard time for a hate crime that will never be called a hate crime.

Listen, kids: your pampered parents were probably raised without enough responsibilities at home, due to your grandparents working like dogs to provide them with a good life that they sucked up as if they had earned it themselves. For that matter, we have public libraries bursting with not just books (they are the flat things with the words in them, kids) but all other kinds of media paid for at my expense to entertain you, you miserable spoiled children, that you could have been enjoying. In a truly enlightened society, you would be serving a seven-year apprenticeship in a trade and every nickel you earned would be going to your parents as a thank you for providing you with a home and food.

15 posted on 01/03/2006 7:24:37 AM PST by 50sDad (It's not "diversity" for you to steal my Christmas.)
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To: yer gonna put yer eye out

That's exactly what I was thinking.

And this is definitely a hate crime! ;)


16 posted on 01/03/2006 7:24:47 AM PST by lawgirl (Every vow I ever take is just pretending that this mess I make is worth defending...</bnl>)
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To: Cagey

I like caning.

Take them down to the court house square, bend them over the cannon there , drop their pants and publicly hit them on the bare ass with a good stout piece of bamboo, split on the end. About 15 licks ought to make them remember how it feels and discourage them from doing it again.

Anybody ever see where that kid who got the caning for keying car doors ever got into trouble again?


17 posted on 01/03/2006 7:25:14 AM PST by sgtbono2002
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To: Cagey
Only in N.J. and California....
18 posted on 01/03/2006 7:26:19 AM PST by HarleyLady27 (My ? to libs: "Do they ever shut up on your planet?" "Grow your own DOPE: Plant a LIB!")
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To: LongElegantLegs
I wonder what would've been done if they had stolen Kwanzaa maize or some muslims' headscarves to burn...

Well then it would be a bias issue. You can dump on Christians and Christianity all day long and it's 'legitimate dissent', but if you perform the exact same act against some other religious denomination, it's 'intolerant' and a 'hate crime'.

19 posted on 01/03/2006 7:26:24 AM PST by Riley ("Bother" said Pooh, as he fired the Claymores.)
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To: rockabyebaby
>How sad, in this day and age, teenagers cannot find something constructive to do

If they had a blog
and a webcam, they could have
called it an event

and gotten a grant
for a performance art piece
commenting on Christ . . .

20 posted on 01/03/2006 7:28:56 AM PST by theFIRMbss
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