STOCKHOLM - OFFICIALS in Sweden pleaded on Tuesday for the return of a baby Jesus stolen from a life-size nativity scene outside a hotel in the southern Swedish town of Joenkoeping, in the country's bible belt no less.

'We'll forgive them but then we really want to get this baby Jesus back,' Curt Ankarberg, who is responsible for the manger, told Swedish Radio.

Mr Ankarberg said he suspected a group of teenagers had swiped the baby Jesus for kicks, and appealed to their Christmas conscience.

'They can call me, I won't call the police or reveal their names,' he said.

The nativity scene was organised by 17 local congregations in Joenkoeping, a town of 85,000 that has a high concentration of Protestant congregations not affiliated with the Church of Sweden.

The artist-commissioned manger cost 300,000 kronor (S$55,169). -- AFP