Riff Raff under security spotlight

RIFF RAFF: Watched. (Peter Drury/WAIKATO TIMES)

Source: http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/waikatotimes/0,2106,3459815a6579,00.html
 
28 October 2005

Is it melt-down for bronze statues around the country? City Editor MARY ANN GILL checks out what's happening to Hamilton's bronzes.

Central city camera operators and street patrollers will be asked to pay special attention to the bronze Riff Raff statue in Hamilton following the theft of the iconic Pania of the Reef statue in Napier.

Police fear Pania was taken to be melted down and were appealing to scrap metal merchants to be on the lookout.

Hamilton City Council spokesman Philip Burton said there were a number of other bronze statues around the city, including the farming family, that could be targeted.

Central city safety manager Aylene McKenzie, who is in charge of the CitySafe programme –- a partnership of council, police, community and business groups –- said staff would be alerted to the danger.

The owner of a Horotiu art gallery said he had two copper Kiwi sculptures taken from inside his gallery in daylight last week.

Peter Faulkner of Splashy said it appeared there was money to be made from scrap metal. The sculptures were made of scrap copper, weighed about 10kg and were 25-30cm high. Together they were valued at $1300.

"This upset me because it was so calculated.

"It's just wickedness, selfishness and nastiness."

The value of the bronze in Pania would be only $2000.

Earlier this month a $25,000 Paul Dibble sculpture was stolen from outside a Waikanae restaurant, and later returned after a $10,000 ransom was paid.

The theft of the Pania of the Reef statue from Marine Parade has left investigating police with four scenarios, including that the bronze statue had been taken for melting down.

Napier residents were upset at the loss of the adored statue and a constant stream of people had gone to the waterfront to look at the empty rock base or place flowers.