NORTHGLENN, Colo. – He’s 6 feet tall, weighs about 1,000 pounds and he’s missing.
Over the weekend, the city of Northglenn discovered one of its public art pieces, a bronze statue of a bear, had been stolen.
“The worst part of this is that public art is exactly that: it’s for the public,” said Northglenn Cultural Programs Supervisor Michael Stricker.
The statue is called “Bee My Honey” by Greeley Artist Colette Pitcher. The Northglenn Arts and Humanities Foundation purchased and installed the piece in 2012.
It sits by the Grange Hall Creek Trail along Washington Street, which is one of the busiest roads in Northglenn.
“Actually, when we go through the process of installing sculptures, we take safety into account and making sure that the sculpture is safe. And we thought that being on Washington is a good spot to be,” Stricker said.
It’s also a mystery how thieves removed the sculpture. The tree itself weighs 800 pounds. The bear weighs an estimated 200 pounds.
“To be totally honest, I’m not sure how they removed it,” Stricker said.
He’s hoping that since the sculpture is so large and the crime is so bizarre, someone saw it being removed without realizing they were witnessing a crime.
Metro Denver Crime Stoppers is offering a reward of up to $2,000 for information that helps solve this crime. Tipsters can remain anonymous by calling 720-913-7867.
Anyone with information is also encouraged to call Northglenn Police Det. Burkhalter at 303-450-9956. He can also be reached by email at dburkhalter@northglenn.org
“We would love it back. We’d like to take care of our little bear, so please let us know,” Stricker said.