First the plaque was taken, now thieves have boldly made off with a statue dedicated to a world-famous aviation pioneer.
A statue depicting Amelia Earhart, the American aviatrix who went missing while crossing the Pacific in 1937, was stolen from Harbour Grace overnight.
(Town of Harbour Grace/Facebook)
The theft comes just days after two plaques from the same site were also stolen.
Earhart famously took off from Harbour Grace in 1932, becoming the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic ocean. A statue dedicated to Earhart was unveiled on the 75th anniversary of that historic achievement.
A bewildered mayor Don Coombs says they discovered that the statue was stolen this morning.
He says the statue is very heavy and bolted down, so he believes someone must have seen some kind of activity at the site near the Spirit of Harbour Grace overnight.
Coombs says surveillance images show that the culprits were dropped off at the site around midnight last night and were picked up in a red SUV around 2:45 this morning.
(VOCM News)
Coombs says he and the town are hurt by the theft.
“I’m just at a loss for words, I’m stunned as a matter of fact. It’s like losing a close friend.” Coombs notes that the statue overlooks the town and the airfield, and it’s not there anymore.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Town of Harbour Grace (709-596-3631) or the authorities.
