MANCHESTER, N.H.

Cross, copper material taken from church roof

Police in Manchester, N.H., said someone removed a cross and copper roofing from a Catholic church.

Police said the cross from St. Anne’s Church was later recovered from a backpack found on the ground nearby Thursday, but the roof material was missing.

PORTSMOUTH, N.H.

Students stage mock robbery but fail to tell police about it

Portsmouth police said “cut” when they found out that an apparent robbery at Great Bay Community College was just pretend.

Police said a caller on Tuesday evening reported seeing a man wearing a bandanna walk in the front lobby of the college. The caller said someone gave the man some money, while another man lay on the ground. The Portsmouth Herald reported that in response, local police issued an alert to state and Newington police.

But before they arrived, all agencies were called off. Police said apparently the “robbery” was staged for a movie-making class at the college, but the students neglected to notify authorities.

BENNINGTON, Vt.

Couple get stuck in elevator of monument for half hour

An Arizona couple said the extra half hour they spent stuck in the elevator of the Bennington Battle monument didn’t sour them on Vermont.

Carl and Darlene Henderson of Sun City were on their way down Thursday from the top of the 306-foot stone obelisk that commemorates the 1777 Battle of Bennington when the elevator stopped.

Bennington Fire Chief Tyler Hollister said the fire department has responded to the monument a handful of times to help patrons stuck in the elevator. Monument officials said the elevator was going to be fixed Friday.