A thief made off with a £1,850 bronze sculpture titled "Turtle Duo" from the Adrian Hill Fine Art gallery in Stamford, Lincolnshire, on October 3.
Security footage shows the individual browsing the gallery before approaching a table and taking the artwork, created by wildlife artist Stephen Rew. The man then concealed the sculpture, which depicts two turtles, under his coat and left the premises. The incident occurred around 2:40 p.m. amid other patrons being present in the gallery.
Gallery owner Adrian Hill described the theft as unprecedented in his 23 years of operating the business. "We like to think we're very vigilant, we've never had anything taken before," Hill stated. "It is just such a brazen act in the middle of the day when other people were in the gallery."
Lincolnshire Police have released an image of a man they believe may have information pertinent to their investigation. Anyone with details is asked to contact the police, referencing case number 26000596082.
Stephen Rew, the artist behind "Turtle Duo," was named Wildlife Artist of the Year in 2019 by the David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation. His work often draws inspiration from close observation of wildlife, and he is known to collaborate with conservation charities.
