Police are asking for the public's help in solving the case of a missing five-foot-tall crucifix -- taken from a church named after the patron saint of lost and stolen articles.

Someone stole the crucifix on Wednesday from the lobby of Saint Anthony of Padua Roman Catholic Church in the Bronx, the NYPD said. The theft occurred between 6 p.m. and 8:30 p.m., probably while mass was being said.

Catholics invoke St. Anthony's help in locating lost or stolen items on the basis of an incident in which a book of psalms was returned to Anthony by a disgruntled student who had taken it after rejecting life in the Franciscan Order, according to the St. Anthony Shrine website.

The crucifix is worth $5,000.

Police are asking anyone with information about the missing crucifix to call Crime Stoppers at (800) 577-TIPS.