Bronze Sculpture Stolen and Melted

In 2005, thieves executed an audacious art heist, making off with an 11-foot, 4,000-pound bronze sculpture titled "Reclining Figure" by renowned artist Henry Moore. The theft, captured by security cameras, initially raised suspicions of a targeted theft by a black market collector. However, subsequent investigations revealed a different fate for the artwork. It is believed that the sculpture was irreparably damaged shortly after its theft, and the bronze was subsequently melted down and sold as scrap metal, potentially to satisfy the increasing demand for electrical components in China.

Estimates indicate that the sculpture, valued at £3 million, yielded a meager £1,500 as scrap metal, underscoring the audaciousness of the crime. This bold art theft was part of a growing trend of public sculpture thefts, which saw a staggering increase of over 500% in the past three years. While some sculptures were indeed stolen for their metal value, others were targeted by black market collectors.