Thieves nab 54million-year-old rocks which resmeble Christmas pudding

The Hertfordshire Puddingstones were taken from the Museum of St Albans between Sunday, April 3, and Thursday, April 14, when around 24 of the rocks were taken from the museum’s garden in St Michaels Street.

Most of these came from the site of the seventh Day Adventist Church during the late 1970s.

Hertfordshire Puddingstone is a naturally occurring conglomerate consisting of rounded flint pebbles bound in silica cement, found mostly within the county. It is thought to have originated from deposits laid down around 54million years ago and is called puddingstone because the flints resemble the plums in a Christmas pudding.

PC Sean Lannon said: “Hertfordshire Puddingstone is several millions of years old and one of the world’s rarest rocks.

“It is part of our county’s heritage so we are doing all we can to ensure that these stones are returned to the museum.

“I am appealing to anyone who may have seen anyone acting suspiciously in the area between the times stated to please get in touch.

“I’d also like to hear from anyone who may have been offered the rocks for sale or anyone who feels they might know who is responsible for this crime.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact PC Lannon via the Hertfordshire Police non-emergency number 101, quoting crime reference number F1/16/1510. Alternatively call Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.