Bell missing from Sarnia community center recovered by police

An historic bell discovered missing July 15 from a cairn outside Sarnia’s Lochiel Kiwanis Community Center was returned Wednesday.

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It was found locally Tuesday by Sarnia police, said Chief Derek Davis.

He was limited in what he could say Wednesday about the discovery because it’s part of an ongoing investigation. Davis said.

“It’s a heritage item” that was a “significant loss to the community” when it was discovered missing, he said.

“We were always looking for it” and police came upon information that led to the bell’s recovery, he said.

“We do expect some charges,” Davis said. “We’re just not at that stage yet.”

But the decision was made to return the bell to the community center Wednesday afternoon, he said.

“We wanted to let everyone know the bell is returned,” Davis said.

The bell is said to be the only remaining relic of one of Sarnia’s early schools.

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The Sarnia heritage walking tour says the George Street school, one of the community’s original schools, was demolished in 1938.

A plaque on the cairn says the school opened in 1878 and its first principal was Alexander Wark.

The age of the bell isn’t known.

Davis said he was “a little surprised” the metal bell was still intact.

“But I’m also happy,” he said. “It’s an irreplicable item. . . I’m glad this piece of heritage has been recovered.”

Sgt. Jordan Dufton, with the Sarnia police major case action team, said unlike other metal objects that might arrive at scrapyards, the fact the bell “was obviously stolen” may be why it was found intact.

The theft of metal is “pretty lucrative criminal activity,” and “normally, we don’t find these things once they’ve been taken,” he said.

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The weight of the bell was estimated at 136 kilograms or more by center officials.

“It took four or five officers to pick it up and put it on the back of the truck,” Dufton said.

“It was a rewarding experience for our unit,” and the police service, he said. “It was nice to call the Kiwanis Center and surprise them. They were very shocked and very happy.”

A metal piece at the top of the bell had been cut and may need to be repaired or replaced, officials with the center said.

Tony Wheeler, a member of the centre’s board, said they were disappointed when they discovered the bell had gone missing.

“It’s good it’s back,” he said. “Now, we’ve just got to make sure it doesn’t disappear again.”

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