Surveillance video of brazen statue theft goes viral, riles up neighbours

The search for a statue bandit is over.

Video of a womanstealing a lawn decoration from an Edmonton doorstep in broad daylight went viral this week on social media.

Wednesday police said they have a suspect.

Tim Barnes discovered hisstatue of a Chinese warrior was missing from his front lawn in the south end neighbourhood of Forest Heights last week.

Barnes thought his surveillance cameras had perhaps captured an inebriated thiefstealing the four-foot-tall plaster lawn decoration under the cover of darkness. But whatwas in the footage came as a shock.

A sleek, black SUV parks in the middle of the street. A blonde woman in a blue sweater and black leggings emerges from the vehicle, walks over and wrenches the large white figurine off its pedestal, then drives away.

The incident happened at about 8:30 p.m. on June20, while the sun was still up.

"A person casually comes up, looks around, actually had to break it off because I had it glued to a mount, and then runs back to their vehicle, puts it in the back of their vehicle and drives away," Barnes said.

'People are pushingback'

Barnes' wife put missing posters around the neighbourhood, and his neighbours helped him post the surveillance footage toFacebook.

Since it went public on Sunday, the clip has been viewed more than 57,000 times, and garnered dozens of tips fromarmchairsleuths and concerned citizens.

During an interview Wednesday with CBC Radio's Edmonton AM, Barnes said he's a "little overwhelmed" with the attention the footage has gotten.

The couple bought the plaster statue for $100 at a wholesale shop a about fiveyears ago and it hasadorned their front garden every summer since.

"It was just something we really liked, it wasn't a big cost,"Barnes said."But to me, it comes down to the principle that someone is walking into your front yard and stealing something in broad daylight."

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The plaster statue wasn't all that valuable, but the response from the community has been priceless, Barnes said.

The Ming figurine has brought the neighbourhood together in an unexpected campaign for justice.

"I think the community, a lot of people in different communities, are getting tired of people just doing random acts like this, of vandalism or whatever you want to call it, and people are pushingback," he said.

"Social media is a great platform for that."

A few people have already come forward identifying the suspect, said Barnes but police have not laid any charges.

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Barnes would like an apology note from the thief, and wants his statue returned to its rightful place on his property.

He doesn't necessarily want the thief charged. He thinks all the public shaminghas been punishment enough.

"I think this person has probably learned their lesson just because of the way it's gone out on social media," he said.

"We're just going to leave it with the police and see what happens."