‘Early Bird Shopper’ pried loose from rock in brazen theft of bronze sculptureBy Bret Bradigan
The “Early Bird Shopper” sculpture that welcomes people to the Arcade Plaza was reported stolen Wednesday atternoon. The whimsical 4-foot-high bronze sculpture of a Chumash bird woman by noted Ojai artist Sylvia Raz was valued at about $10,000.
Mark Johnson, report writer with the Ojai Police Department, said the loss was reported at 4 p.m. on Wednesday by Lawrence Ernest, owner of Plantasia Landscaping, which maintains the Arcade Plaza for the city.
The sculpture was installed in 2005. Raz explained the concept early bird, a shopping bird, sharply scanning the landscape, ready to engage in an emotional spree of adventure and discovery.
“The ethnic attire invited remembrances to our earlier natives, the gentle people that inhabitated this area in the past.”
The heavy sculpture was cleanly removed from its anchor rock, said Johnson. There were no eyewitnesses or suspects at this time.
Johnson encouraged anyone with any information on the theft to call the Ojai Police Department at 646-1414.
3 comments:
As the price of copper has soared nationwide, thefts of bronze have increased as well those of raw copper. Scrap metal buyers have essentially turned into fencing operations, and until they can be made to be part of the solution they will continue to be part of the problem.
I remember a few years ago that Joe Devito wanted security cameras installed. Oh the flap that caused at the time!
Everytime this type of thing happens it strengthens the need for such measures.
B Dawson
What a sad loss for Ojai! I hope they find and arrest the culprit.
Post a Comment