A man in Switzerland has been arrested for stealing a golden cross from a church altar before losing it in a nightclub.

The incident took place in the Swiss city of Martigny, in the canton of Valais, on Friday, 11th November.

Newsflash obtained a statement from the Valais Cantonal Police on Tuesday, 15th November, saying: “On 11th November, 2022, an individual took a cross from the parish church of Martigny.

“The investigations carried out by the cantonal police made it possible to find it.

“An inebriated individual went inside the church of Martigny-Ville. After moving various objects and opening the organ, he took the cross that was placed on the altar.”

The police said that they were then informed about the theft and tracked down the culprit. They said: “Informed, the cantonal police carried out their investigations. The author was found and confessed to the facts.”

This then allowed the authorities to retrieve the golden cross, which had reportedly been forgotten in one of the town’s nightclubs. The police said: “The cross was finally discovered the next day in a nightclub in Martigny where he had forgotten it.

“The cross was retrieved and has now been returned to its original location in the church of Martigny-Ville.

“The clergy waived their right to be a plaintiff. However, the author, a 32-year-old Valaisan living in the region, was denounced by our services to the Public Prosecutor.”

The suspect has not been named and it is currently unclear what penalties he faces. It is also unclear how much the cross is worth.