Men charged with $55k Christmas Day gnome heist from Auckland art gallery

January 30, 2019

The artwork was uplifted from outside Auckland’s Gow Langsford Gallery on Christmas Day.

Police have charged two people after a gnome statue worth $55,000 was stolen from outside an Auckland art gallery.

CCTV footage captured the men in high-viability clothing removing the statue, named Thinker by artist Gregor Kregar, from outside Auckland's Gow Langsford Gallery in the early hours of Christmas Day.

A 46-year-old man and a 55-year-old man have been charged with theft and are due to appear in the Auckland District Court today. 

The theft was reported to police once the gallery's owner discovered it was missing on January 12. A few days later, after the heist became the subject of media attention, it was found dumped outside a Salvation Army in Glen Eden with a note attached to the gnome's head asking the op-shop to return the artwork to the gallery.

Police were able to recover the statue and return it to its owner.

Police said in a statement they are not in a position to comment further as the matter is now before the court.

SHARE ME

More Stories