Valuable Dibble sculpture stolen

Special tools were used to steal a valuable bronze Paul Dibble sculpture from outside a restaurant in what police said was a daring and well-organised theft.

Police fear it may have been taken for its metal content.

The owners and the sculptor of the striking work Long Horizon, which weighs more than a tonne, hope the piece is not lost forever after being taken from the grounds of Swell restaurant at Waikanae on Thursday night.

A co-owner of the sculpture, restaurateur Gavin Bradley, was still in a state of disbelief yesterday at the audacious theft.

"It's a really spectacular piece of public art so it's completely gutting from that aspect," said Mr Bradley, who co-owns the work with Maggie Mouat.

The sculpture was estimated to be worth "hundreds of thousands of dollars".

Senior Sergeant Alasdair Macmillan, of Kapiti police, said it appeared the thieves brought their own equipment, including a large Allen key, on to the restaurant grounds some time after 10pm to dismantle and remove bolts holding the sculpture together (it was cast in two pieces). Bolts that connected the piece to its concrete base were sawn.

Mr Macmillan had a "horrible gut feeling" it had been stolen for the bronze content as it was easily identifiable.

- NZPA