Stolen statue was neighborhood treasure

This statue, called "Maternal Wrap" was stolen from Coyote Gulch Park.

LAKEWOOD – Neighbors of Coyote Gulch Park want their statue back.

The 150-pound bronze statue of a coyote cradling her pup in the curve of her tail has been missing for more than a week after it was pried from atop its circular base at the park. The 2,500-pound sandstone base also was pried loose from its pedestal and destroyed.

The statue was a link of sorts, connecting the neighborhood and their park in a common identity, said Debra Hansen, president of the Coyote Gulch Homeowners Association.

“They love the coyote statue,” Hansen said of her neighbors. “It’s a beautiful little thing. It was a very nicely done statue, a nicely done piece of art. Everybody was fond of the name … so a Coyote Gulch statue seemed to fit quite nicely,” Hansen said.

The statue – dubbed “Maternal Wrap” by artist Tim Cherry – was reported missing the morning of June 8. A woman passing by while walking her dog noticed a portable toilet in the park had been tipped over. When she took a closer look, the woman saw the statue had been removed and notified police.

Construction workers at the site of a controversial baseball field at the park also contacted police when they noticed the tipped-over toilet and missing fence posts.

Officers found discovered the fence posts taken had been used to pry the base from its pedestal and suspect that a wheelbarrow from the construction area apparently had been used to haul the 150-pound statue to a vehicle “parked for a getaway,” according to the police report.

Police immediately contacted a network of scrap-metal dealers to alert them about the missing statue in case the thieves decided to try to cash in on the bronze loot.

“That goes out to a group called STOMP – Stop Theft of Metal Products. It’s a group made up of recyclers and law enforcement agencies,” Davis said. “The word travels pretty fast when we’re looking for a specific type or piece of metal. And that (the statue) is obviously pretty unique.”

Davis said it also is possible that who ever stole the piece of art wanted it “to enhance their own landscaping.”

The piece, purchased by the city in 1997 as part of a project at the park, is one of eight limited edition copies cast from a mold. It is about 47-inches tall.

When Davis contacted the gallery that represents the artist, he was told an “artist’s proof” could be cast from the mold to replace the stolen statue. It would cost an estimated $25,000 for the new copy and its installation at the park.

Possible charges include theft, two counts of criminal mischief and criminal trespass, according to the police report.