Owners of a stunning bronze peacock statue worth £45,000 and crafted by a world renowned artist are worried it will be melted down for scrap after it was stolen.
Thieves took the 6ft statue, made by highly regarded sculptor, Geoffrey Dashwood, from the back garden of a couple’s cottage without leaving a trace.
The 25st masterpiece, one of 12, took months to create before Mr Dashwood gave it to lifelong friends to display at their country home in Fordingbridge, Hampshire, eight years ago.
Mr Dashwood said the thieves would most likely have had to use an angle grinder to cut the artwork into pieces before selling it for just a few hundred pounds.
Thieves took this 6ft statue, made by highly regarded sculptor, Geoffrey Dashwood, from the back garden of a couple’s cottage without leaving a trace. The masterpiece (pictured) took months to create before Mr Dashwood gave it to friends to display at their home in Hampshire
The statue was originally delivered to the garden by a lorry and then lowered into place by a crane because it weighed so much.
Mr Dashwood said today: ‘They will most likely cut it up for scrap metal – the thieves probably have no idea what they have stolen.
‘I think it is a scrap metal theft as it is extremely difficult to sell something of this nature unless you know the right people.
‘Even then they would have a job selling it because it’s too unique to sell it to just anybody, unless this was a targeted heist by a collector. It’s extremely heavy and would take at least three men to carry it.’
Mr Dashwood (pictured working on a sculpture of a Peregrine Falcon earlier this year), said the thieves would most likely have had to use an angle grinder to cut the artwork into pieces before selling it for just a few hundred pounds
The artist has pieces all around the world including some in The Royal Collection. As a master sculptor, he has perfected his trade for over 50 years and is highly regarded by critics.
He added: ‘This isn’t the first time my work has been stolen. It must have happened a dozen times before. People will always find a way of stealing things – some people will walk into a gallery and create a distraction while others make off with items.’
The victims of the theft have asked to remain anonymous. The wife said she is ‘devastated’ and ‘heartbroken’ after losing her ‘favourite’ piece of artwork.
She said: ‘It has left me extremely upset, distraught and hurt. I loved that piece so much. It holds lots of sentimental value to me.’
The victims of the theft have asked to remain anonymous. The wife said she is ‘devastated’ and ‘heartbroken’ after losing her ‘favourite’ piece of artwork. She said: ‘It has left me extremely upset, distraught and hurt. I loved that piece so much. It holds lots of sentimental value to me’
No one can understand how the statue was taken without the thieves leaving behind a trail.
The wife said: ‘Nothing was moved apart from the statue, it was like nothing had ever happened, we couldn’t believe that it had just disappeared over night.’
The couple have put posters up in their local area in the hope that someone saw something that might help them track down the theives.
The wife added: ‘If the thieves put this much effort into a real job we would all be much happier. It’s horrible, they make a living off other people’s discomfort.’