600-pound bronze moose among Calif. statue thefts

Published 9:25 am Thursday, March 31, 2011

SAN DIEGO (AP) — San Diego County authorities are looking for art thieves who have made off with at least 18 metal, wood and concrete statues — including a 600-pound bronze moose.

The North County Times reports the thieves have stolen nearly $44,000 worth of lawn art since October. Most of the thefts occurred in San Marcos and Ramona.

The artworks included Buddha yard statutes, a life-sized aluminum colt, a 3-foot-tall statue of the Virgin Mary and a copper statue of three children valued at $15,000.

Detectives suspect that the metal works may have been broken up and sold to recyclers, while the other pieces might have been resold.