 In the United States , nativity figurines are sometimes stolen from outdoor public and private displays during the Christmas season in an act that is generally called Baby Jesus theft . The thefts are usually pranks with figurines recovered within a few hours or days of their disappearances . Some have been damaged beyond repair or defaced with profanity , antisemitic epithets , or Satanic symbols . It is unclear if Baby Jesus theft is on the rise as United States federal law enforcement officials do not track such theft . Some communities protect outdoor nativity scenes with surveillance cameras or GPS devices concealed within the figurines . 
