Thieves Cross a Supreme Court Ruling

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Gilles Mingasson / Getty Images

Two weeks ago, the Supreme Court let a famed cross remain on federal land. Thieves had a different idea.

Built in the Mojave National Preserve, the cross was built in commemoration of Americans who died in World War I. It has been the subject of bitter and long-fought legal battles that ended up at the Supreme Coury, which ruled 5-4 to allow the cross to stay on federal land. The AP reports that the 7-foot high religious symbol was stolen late Sunday or early Monday, when bandits cut through metal bolts securing the structure to the ground.

The cross was called into question about a decade ago, when a former National Park Service worker charged that it violated separation between church and state. No word yet on any hopes of bringing the controversial symbol back.