A small Auckland monastery is now the focus of international media attention after finding Jesus.
American and British publications are chasing the story of sister Johanna Penn after the nun turned amateur sleuth to recover two stolen religious statues.
A large Jesus statue, along with a Little Infant of Prague statue, were seen being carried out of the Carmelite Monastery in Royal Oak by a man and woman who were caught on CCTV before 7.00am on Friday.
Sister Johanna had been hard on the case since the heist, running the CCTV footage through software to get clear shots of the couple before posting them to Facebook.
The effort also saw members of the public search for the registration plates and potential suspects named on social media.
Sister Johanna Penn turning to god and Facebook in a bid that saw the two stolen statues returned.
The statues were eventually found in a nearby cemetery yesterday.
Police wouldn't be interviewed, but they're still building their forensic case.
And the theft has had wider consequences for the monastery.
Polish Catholics who attend the monastery and who own a religious relic located there came to collect it from the chapel today because of concerns about security.
The Carmelite nuns are considering their options, because while they don't want to lock the chapel, changes may be necessary.
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