Matthew Farfan

The historic bell recently stolen from outside of Sherbrooke’s Plymouth-Trinity United Church has miraculously turned up, according to recent media reports. The nearly-500-pound bell, which was over a hundred years old, and which had been on display outside the historic church for many years, was taken from its moorings outside the church a few weeks ago. It was assumed that the bronze artifact would be quickly sold for its metal content and melted down.

Last week, the Sherbrooke Record reported that Jacques Cossette, a scrap dealer in Montreal had been contacted by the Sherbrooke police who had traced the stolen bell to his facility. The newspaper stated that the dealer actually had two bells in his possession and that he hadn’t considered receiving them anything out of the ordinary. Cossette, who buys scrap metal for the American Iron and Metal Company, was quoted as saying that it is not uncommon for his yard to receive old church bells. “We get bells all the time from churches that are being demolished, or bells that are cracked and broken,” he said, crediting the Sherbrooke police with some excellent policework.

Members of the Plymouth-Trinity congregation have since retrieved the historic bell, and plans are in the works to make sure that when it is eventually re-installed in front of the church that it is securely fastened.