Theft of cow statue and other bovine ornaments from Royal Oak, Auckland garden robs children of local landmark

Royal Oak resident Ann Bancroft's stolen cow Arthur, pictured with a young family friend. Photo / Supplied

An Auckland grandma is calling on the concrete-cow rustlers who stole her pride and joy Arthur to return him to her.

Arthur, a large black and white cow statue, stood proudly in Royal Oak resident Ann Bancroft's front yard until he was stolen overnight on Thursday with about a half dozen other cow ornaments.

Bancroft's front garden is filled with bovine ornaments and has become a bit of a local landmark for passing parents and children on their way to school down the road.

Cows adorn every spare space: she has a cow letterbox, cows painted on her garage door, cows in the garden and cows throughout her house.

But the pride of the herd was Arthur. "I feel sad that somebody had to make a mess in the garden taking my little friend - I'd love to have him home," Bancroft said.

She reported the theft to police but was hoping the community might be able to help find Arthur and return him to her.

Cows and other ornaments line Ann Bancroft's garden in Royal Oak. Photo/Supplied

She was particularly perplexed about how the thieves managed to cut through Arthur's concrete foundations without anyone hearing or seeing them.

"He has stood in the garden for six years; that is why he has become a little bit of a landmark," she said.

"I tried to bring a bit of the country to the city."

Bancroft's niece Lianne Skinner said she had often seen people stop and take photos of Arthur.

"[This] brings her great joy to see the pleasure it gives other people," she said.

Arthur's absence had been quickly noticed by passing schoolchildren, who were already commenting on Friday morning "about how he was gone and where was he".