44-year-old man arrested in relation to Mt Pleasant statue theft

A 44-year-old man has been arrested by Christchurch police in connection to the theft of "Flight", a sculpture created by the late local artist Llew Summers to pay homage to the nearby estuary.

The sculpture was gifted to the Mt Pleasant Community Center on the fourth anniversary of the artists' death in 2023. 

Despite it's 2.2 tonne weight and 2 meter wingspan, police became aware of the sculpture's theft on the 6th of June. Tyre tracks were left outside of the community center the morning after the theft.

The theft was origianlly posted onto a community Facebook, where some locals expressed their frustration and quickly began working with police to find the statue.

Acting Detective Sergeant Steph Trengrove says the police were committed to finding the artwork and the offender, understanding the importance of the statue to the community. 

“Unfortunately, our investigation indicates that the sculpture has been destroyed and much of it sold as scrap metal, with only small pieces being recovered.”

Acting Detective Trengrove says that while they have apprehended the offender, she and the police acknowledge the community members' "devestation" at the result of the investigation.

"We would like to warmly thank key community members who assisted officers with information and support throughout the investigation, including those from the scrap metal industry.”

The offender will appear in Christchurch District Court on 16th September on a charge of theft.