01/02/2007 | Sych

http://www.citynews.ca/news/news_6567.aspx

Massive Statue Stolen From Park
Monday January 1, 2007
Last month we told you about a massive copper sculpture stolen from a business in North Toronto. Now police in Halton Region are scratching their heads, trying to figure how thieves stole a two-tonne statue from a park in Oakville.

The five-metre sculpture of a Ukrainian poet was cut off at the legs and taken sometime between Dec. 15 and Dec. 31st. Police say the thieves left a ladder behind.

"We suspect there was more than one individual given the weight and height of the statue," Const. Al Bonner of Halton Regional Police said.

"We suspect a vehicle, probably of commercial size, would have been used in regards to removing the artifact."

While investigators are still speculating as to how the heist was pulled off, they're pretty sure they know why this bizarre theft happened.

"The statue is either a bronze or copper material and we are investigating as if the statue may have been stolen for its value in regard to the metal," Bonner explained.

The sculpture, worth more than $300,000, was located in an isolated part of the park. Police say there are residential developments in the area and are hoping someone saw something.