A bronze sculpture worth £60,000 was stolen from the garden of a famous artist, leaving her upset over the investigation’s slow progress
Saffron Walden: A bronze sculpture worth £60,000 has been stolen from the garden of a well-known artist. Anne Curry, the artist, returned home from a funeral to find her piece, La Promesse, missing.
She was understandably upset, especially since no arrests have been made nearly a month after the theft. The sculpture, which weighs about 350kg and resembles an iris flower, was a significant part of her collection.
Anne, who’s 82, is famous for her garden sculptures and even created a bust of Sir John Major for the House of Commons. She reported the theft right away but felt frustrated with the police’s slow response.
She mentioned that it felt like a violation of her home. Living in a village, she never thought she’d have to worry about such things. It’s a tough pill to swallow when you realize there’s a threat in your own backyard.
Essex Police are looking for any witnesses who might have seen something suspicious around the time of the theft. Pc Glenn Simons, who’s on the case, understands how much this has affected Anne and is committed to finding leads.
Anne believes the thief had scoped out her garden before, as they knew exactly which sculpture to take. She explained that bronze sculptures are often stolen for their metal value, not their artistic beauty.
La Promesse was not just valuable in terms of money; it held personal significance for her. She spent £20,000 to create it, and it was one of her most cherished works.
Essex Police are urging anyone with information about suspicious activity in the area to come forward. Anne hopes that by raising awareness, someone might help bring her beloved sculpture back.
