Thieves stole a copper box allegedly containing the blood of Jesus but returned it over fears it would bring bad luck

• An ornamental box allegedly containing the blood of Jesus was stolen on June 1.
• The art was returned to art detective Arthur Brand's doorstep three weeks later.

What began as a holy heist in Normandy ended with the blood of Jesus at the doorstep of a Dutch art detective three weeks later.

On June 1, thieves stole ancient artifacts from the Fécamp Abbey, a historic church in France. The artifacts included dishes, a gilded copper box covered in religious art, and most notably, two vials supposedly holding the blood of Christ, collected during his cruxifiction, Artnet reported.

After the artifacts were stolen, detective Arthur Brand told Artnet that he began receiving anonymous emails from a person saying they were in possession of the valuable relics.

The thieves most likely hid the art at a friend's house after learning that it was bad luck to steal religious artifacts, Brand told ArtNet. The friend then emailed him asking to return the artifact, Brand deduced.

"To have the ultimate relic, the blood of Jesus in your home, stolen, that's a curse," Brand told AFP.

—Arthur Brand (art detective) (@brand_arthur) July 12, 2022

Brand told the email sender to leave the art at his doorstep and waited in his home for a week until he heard the doorbell ring. He told Artnet News that he didn't see anybody outside, but saw the box on the ground and ran downstairs. He then notified Dutch authorities.

While the box was in his possession, Brand told Artnet that he did not "curse" in his home.