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No Charges Will Be Filed In Theft Of Religious Relic

LONG BEACH (CBS/KNX1070) — County prosecutors will not file any charges against a woman arrested last month on suspicion of swiping a rare religious relic from Saint Anthony Catholic Church in Long Beach.

KNX 1070's Brian Ping reports that church leaders did not want to press charges against 41-year-old Maria Solis, who lives in a mental health facility and has no prior criminal record.

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The District Attorney's office in Los Angeles County says it would have a tough time proving Solis had criminal intent.

The 800-year-old gold trophy-like item disappeared June 13, while it was being put on display on the church's altar.

Surveillance video from a nearby business showed Solis walking in the direction of the church and helped detectives locate the item three days later, according to authorities.

"Upon further investigation, detectives located the relic inside her residence and placed her under arrest," Deputy Chief Robert Luna of the Long Beach Police Department said back in June.

Solis was released from jail that same day.

Saint Anthony's Catholic Church has been around for over 100 years and is the first church to serve the people of Long Beach.

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