A valuable bronze sculpture was stolen from artist Anne Curry’s home while she attended a funeral, prompting police to seek information.
The sculpture, which looks like an iris flower and weighs around 350kg, is one of her best-known works. It was snatched between December 5 and 6, and now Essex Police are asking anyone who saw anything suspicious in the area to come forward.
Anne, who’s known for her garden sculptures and even made a bust of Sir John Major for the House of Commons, said the whole thing feels “unbelievable.” She was away for the day and came back to find her prized sculpture missing.
At 82, she suspects the thief had scoped out her place before, picking which sculpture to steal. She mentioned that most of her sculptures are made of resin for safety, but this one was bronze, which is a hot target for thieves.
La Promesse cost her £20,000 to cast, but its market value is much higher. Anne expressed her frustration with the police, saying it took them three weeks to visit her after the theft. She’s upset about the slow progress in the investigation.
She pointed out that bronze sculptures aren’t stolen for their beauty; they’re taken for the metal, which can be sold quickly. It’s a real shame that something like this can happen, and she believes the police should act faster in these cases.
An Essex Police spokesperson mentioned they tried to contact her several times to arrange a visit, but they couldn’t get through. It’s a tough situation all around.
