By Tim Binnall
A group of brazen bandits stole a beloved bronze statue of Amelia Earhart that commemorated a small Canadian town's place in aviation history. According to a local media report, since 2007, the sizeable piece occupied a place of honor in the community of Harbour Grace, Newfoundland, where the pioneering pilot departed on her famed 1932 transatlantic flight. However, last Friday morning, residents woke up to a disturbing development as, like the iconic aviator it depicts, the Earhart statue had vanished into thin air.
"We're devastated, devastated. There's no other word," Harbour Grace Mayor Don Coombs lamented while describing the statute as "worth a fortune" in both historical and material value. He indicated that security footage from the area revealed two suspects who were dropped off at the monument around midnight. Approximately three hours later, a red SUV returned to the scene to pick up the pair and the dislodged piece that Coombs noted weighs around 700 pounds. Adding insult to injury, the miscreants also made off with a plaque that had been beside the statue.
The mayor's dismay at the audacious caper, the aftermath of which can be seen below, was echoed by area pilot Kim Winsor, who reportedly mused "it's hard to talk about it without getting choked up." Harbour Grace residents have expressed similar consternation over the theft of the statue with multiple businesses contributing to what is now a $25,000 reward for any information leading to the return of the piece or the conviction of the creeps who stole it. That said, many fear that the statue may never be seen again as it is believed to have been stolen to melt it down to sell the bronze for scrap.