It all started on April Fool’s Day, with the theft of the “Rooster of the Mission Cross” from Bessan, near Agde in Hérault. It was April 1, 1999. Then no more news of the golden bird until November 2023 when it mysteriously reappears, sent anonymously by parcel post to a local historian.
It is with surprise that Michel Sabatéry, an 81-year-old historian, received a package containing a golden rooster at the end of last November, posted in Clermont-l’Hérault. This weather vane overhung the Bessan Mission cross eight meters high until April 1, 1999, when it was stolen.
A runaway rooster, back after 25 years.
The unexpected return of the rooster quickly turned into an investigation to understand what had happened to the animal and why it was returning to Bessan, 25 years after the theft.
The town hall of Bessan, the public prosecutor’s office of Béziers and the gendarmes of Florensac were mobilized. And it paid off! Today, not only is the rooster back but the perpetrator of the theft has been identified and his motivations are known.
This is a man born in 1975, who admitted to being the author of the theft, for fun, during an alcoholic festive evening. Subsequently, he did not dare to return it, until recently after rediscovering this object hidden in his cellar.
Raphaël Balland, public prosecutor of Béziers
As the thief cannot be criminally prosecuted due to the statute of limitations on public action (six years for a theft), the Béziers public prosecutor’s office decided to dismiss the proceedings.
Michel Sabatéry, elected representative of the town for culture in the 1980s, has never forgotten the stolen golden rooster. For 25 years, he has fought to keep his story alive, but he never would have hoped for such a happy ending. Find the rooster. As he explained to our colleagues from France bleu Hérault.
“I struggled. I kept writing articles. I never lost hope of finding him. I was hoping to make the thief or current holder feel guilty. I was convinced that someone would recognize this rooster if it was exposed for everyone to see.”
And the humorous thief accompanied the package with a little note from the rooster: “After a long journey, I am back on the land where I was born. Dear Bessanais, I missed you. May my song resonate again.”
The address of the sender of the package was Monsieur gallinacé. I opened the package with my wife and there I discovered the rooster. I was very happy. At the time, I thought it was an April Fool’s joke and 25 years later, it’s being returned to me.
Michel Sabatéry, historian and resident of BessanFrance bleu Hérault, Stefane Pocher, interview of December 22, 2023.
The town of Bessan plans to put the golden rooster back on top of the cross after renovating the monument. Even if another rooster has replaced him since his forced “flight” in 1999.
Last question, what will become of the replacement rooster for 25 years, itself replaced by the original rooster?