Police hunt for elderly woman after theft of Yoko Ono's $23,943 rock

Part of an artwork by Yoko Ono (pictured in 2016) has been stolen from a Canadian museum. Photos / Getty and Toronto Police

Police in Canada are on the lookout for an elderly woman believed to have pocketed a rock worth US$17,500 ($23,943).

An ordinary river stone with the words "love yourself" written on it in black ink, the rock is part of an "interactive" art exhibition by Yoko Ono at Toronto's Gardiner Museum.

"There's a bunch of rocks on the ground and people can walk up to them and pick them up," police media officer Gary Long told the Toronto Star. "She just picked it up and walked away with it."

Police put out a call for information on social media – initially undervaluing the rock at $5000 – showing a woman around 55-60 years old, in a black hat and red scarf.

Female sought in Theft Over $5000 investigation. Mon. Mar. 12, at 5:35 p.m., at the Gardiner Museum located at 111 Queen’s Park. She allegedly stole a rock on display of an art exhibit. Last seen walking south on Queen’s Park. #GO601628 if seen pls call 416-808-5200 ^gl pic.twitter.com/uzoQ38AZ9S

— Toronto Police Operations (@TPSOperations) April 7, 2018

The rock was taken from Stone Piece, one section of a three-part installation called Yoko Ono: The Riverbed. According to the gallery, Stone Piece is "a pile of river stones", some of them featuring words such as "dream" and "wish".

"Visitors are invited to pick up a stone and hold it, concentrating on the word, and then placing the stone upon the pile of other stones in the centre of the room," a description on the gallery's website explains.

The theft has prompted incredulous responses on social media.

One second she's just a lady grabbing a rock, the next second she's an international art thief on the run from the law and Yoko Ono

— Josh (@JoshMLabelle) April 7, 2018

There's something kinda ridiculous, sad and poetic about a well-shod older woman stealing a Yoko Ono rock that says "love yourself". https://t.co/kEXaZoRXDi

— Danielle-Oh-El-Oh-El-Oh-Ey-Ey-Ey (@ellstar) April 7, 2018

In a light-hearted post on Twitter, art magazine Good Art Guide offered the gallery a home-made replacement:

Replacement available if needed. pic.twitter.com/W6b9B0iicm

— Good Art Guide (@goodartguide) April 7, 2018