[MSN] Museum theft. 1 ton-plus Golden Fisherman goes missing

[Museum Security Network Mailinglist]

Posted on Sun, Jun. 11, 2006  
 
Golden Fisherman goes missing


SUN HERALD

BILOXI - Like a twisted episode of "Without a Trace," the city of Biloxi's
Golden Fisherman, all 16 feet of coppery alloy, disappeared from its Point
Cadet resting place some time during Saturday night.

How a thief moved the 1 ton-plus statue has everyone who knows about the
theft scratching his head.

At 4 p.m. Sunday, the figure commissioned by the city and created by Ocean
Springs sculptor Harry Reeks, was still missing. It had been erected on the
property of the Maritime and Seafood Industry Museum during the Bicentennial
year (1976), and among the metals combined to create it were melted-down
winches, cleats and other fixtures from shrimp boats.

"They were donated by fishermen. So it had no huge value as far as precious
metals, but it was precious to those families and to this community," Mayor
A.J. Holloway said today.

"How someone could have the gall to do something like this on the weekend of
the Blessing of the Fleet just appalls me. On the other hand, if someone
moved it for safe keeping, call the Biloxi Police and tell them where it
is."

"We just moved it to a different spot at Point Cadet the other day (because
of work being done)," said Vincent Creel, public affairs manager for the
city, "and we had to use (some heavy equipment) to do it."

The statue, which was insured, was damaged and knocked off its waterfront
pedestal by Hurricane Katrina.

Anyone with information about the whereabouts of the statue should contact
the Biloxi Police Department at (228) 392-0641.

http://www.sunherald.com/