"Really heartbreaking": Vancouver gallery owner shaken from 200-pound statue theft

A statue stolen from an art gallery on West Hastings has been located, and the gallery’s owner says the win is bittersweet.

After receiving a call at 10 pm from a constable, The George Gallery owner Theresa Mura says although the artwork has been returned, she is concerned for her safety.

“I’m super relieved and so happy that it has been returned,” says Mura. “I really, really need to get our security scissor gates up as soon as possible so everybody, including myself, feels safe.”

Mura says the perpetrators have still not been located, and the artwork was found a few blocks away from East Pender Street.

“The police are still investigating and trying to find out who took it, but it was called in and found at an SRO.”

The 200-pound life-sized horse head sculptor created by Richard Forbes had been there since August.

The George Gallery/GoFundMe

“It was there for a few months, as it was stolen on November 14. It was in the front window, and everybody admired it. It was beautiful, and somebody wanted it. Too much, apparently. That’s really unfortunate.”

She doesn’t know why it was stolen, but she has theories.

“I honestly thought that they stole it for the bronze and that it was getting melted down, which just breaks my heart.”

To Mura’s relief, that may have not been the case. The artwork was found without a scratch on it. However, the investigation is ongoing, and no one has been found responsible yet.

“So I’m finding myself kind of all by myself, trying to navigate through this. It’s very difficult, emotionally, financially, everything mentally,” says Mura.