Gold-plated rose stolen from NYC 9/11 memorial honoring Father Mychal Judge

NEW YORK - New York City police are searching for a man accused of stealing a gold-plated rose from a Manhattan church memorial honoring the victims of 9/11.

The metal flower had served as the centerpiece of a memorial at the Church of St. Francis of Assisi, whose long-time pastor, Father Mychal Judge, was crushed by falling rubble while praying for victims and rescuers on the morning of the attack.

On Wednesday afternoon, a man entered the historic Midtown church and removed the rose from the base of the memorial, according to a police spokesperson. Surveillance photographs show the suspect holding the tall and narrow piece of artwork on a sidewalk outside the church. He remained at large Thursday and was wanted for grand larceny, police said.

Father Brian Jordan, who leads the Franciscan church, said the man in the photos had been removed from the building previously for "bizarre behavior."

"We’re grieved and saddened by this act of desecration," he added. "We hope this troubled man turns himself to police and they in turn will send him to the nearest psychiatric facility so the healing process can begin."

The memorial, which rests on a base of twisted steel leftover from the wreckage of the World Trade Center, arrived at the church 22 years ago, he said, through a donation coordinated by a local ironworkers union.

It was dedicated to the former pastor, Judge, as well as a parishioner, Carole LaPlante, who was also killed in the attacks.

Judge, a chaplain for the New York Fire Department who founded one of the first Catholic ministries devoted to those with HIV/AIDS, had been praying in the north tower’s lobby for rescuers and victims when he was killed by debris from the falling south tower.

Following his death, the priest’s admirers urged the Catholic Church to grant him sainthood, pointing to his efforts in pushing the church to be more welcoming to LGBTQ people.