Abbotsford – AUGUST 2 UPDATE – APD reported: On Friday, August 2, 2019, just 24 hours after posting information about a missing Chief Dan George sculpture on social media, it has been recovered and returned to the Abbotsford School District. The matter remains under investigation. The Abbotsford Police Department would like to thank the public for their assistance. There were reports that it was spotted at a Mission Pawn Shop. More to come.
ORIGINAL STORY – Abbotsford Police Seeking help to locate missing Chief Dan George Sculpture.
On Thursday July 4, Abbotsford School District contacted Abbotsford Police to report the theft of a stone sculpture depicting Chief Dan George. The sculpture, created by artist Gerald Sandau, is approximately 70 lbs, 2 feet tall and 1 foot wide. It is valued at $8,000.
The sculpture was donated in 2017 and has been on display in Chief Dan George Middle School’s main display case. The sculpture was placed in secure storage when renovations began at the school.
In June 2019, school staff attempted to locate the sculpture to put it on display in the main office. At that time it became apparent that the statue was missing, and police were contacted.
Sandau stated on social media that he and his wife stopped by the school just to view the statue and only then knew it was missing. Other social media reports say a police report was not filed for another week after the discovery/absence.
The Abbotsford Police is appealing to anyone with information about this incident to call 604-859-5225, text 222973(abbypd), or report anonymously to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477(TIPS) or www.solvecrime.ca
Additional pictures of the sculpture can be seen on the artist’s website at https://www.geraldsandau-sculpture.com/chief-dan-george-scu…
