Then on May 29, 2011, Mark Worner drove to hockey practice and saw the dome at the side of the road.

Detective sergeant Mark Worner in 2014. Credit: Daniel Tobin/Stuff. Detective sergeant Mark Worner in 2014. Credit: Daniel Tobin/Stuff.

“The copper dome looked identical to the copper dome seen in pictures and TV footage lying upside down in the middle of Lichfield St near the High St intersection,’’ he wrote in his statement.

When he drove to hockey the next week it was gone.

Susan Tavinor, who has lived on the stretch of Momorangi Crescent where Worner saw the dome for 40 years, had no memory of such a dramatic object appearing on her street.

“I don’t remember seeing any copper dome,’’ she said.

In October, detective sergeant Mark Reid closed the case.

“Despite numerous enquiries to contractors working in the area no firm admitted to moving the pile of scrap metal that the dome was last seen sitting on,’’ he wrote.

‘’EQC and Civil Defence staff were also unable to assist police as they had insufficient records to show who was actually removing debris in the area of interest.’’

Reid contacted Bradley and told him the news.

“I told him that I understood that this wasn’t the news he wanted to hear, but there was simply no evidence to charge anyone.’’

While police may have concluded there was no evidence of criminal activity, people in the scrap industry or associated with the building believed the dome was crushed and sold for scrap.

One of the building’s owners at the time of the quake, Lisle Hood, felt certain it was stolen.

“It is a bloody shame and it is a bloody shame about a lot of things that happened in that period.’’

Lisle Hood in 2011. Credit: Don Scott/Stuff. Lisle Hood in 2011. Credit: Don Scott/Stuff.

Former building owner, Andrew Hodge, agreed.

“That dome was thick, thick copper. You could have paid a fair chunk off your mortgage for that.”

Estimates vary over how much the dome may have been worth. A rough estimate based on the dome’s size and 2011 copper prices puts its value at about $7000.

But the dollar value was never its true worth. The dome embodied the city’s character, history and stories, from founding plans to Edwardian architects, and 1980s sex workers to fashion boutiques.

And then it plunged into the street and was stolen from us.

The rest of the rubble was cleared by early April 2011 and the corner site has been empty ever since.

The building in March 2011. Credit: Frank Film for the Ministry of Civil Defence. The building in March 2011. Credit: Frank Film for the Ministry of Civil Defence.

But, even as an empty site, the corner is still emblematic of the Christchurch story - the slow recovery, the empty lots and the secrecy.

The neighbouring sites show the patchy progress of the Christchurch rebuild. The dilapidated buildings of Sol Square sit on the other side of Manchester St, while on the opposite corner a sleek new glass building gleams down High St. Across Lichfield St is a transitional project where children can play basketball.

The site in April 2018. Credit: George Heard/Stuff. The site in April 2018. Credit: George Heard/Stuff.

The empty dome site is now owned by a company called Summitbuild Construction, whose director is Joseph O'Donnell. He declined to comment on his plans for the site when reached by telephone and asked that questions be sent by email.

Two days later he replied.

“Sorry for the late reply but I really can’t help you and would prefer not to go into any detail.’’