As they posed for photos with a pair of bronze statues, many tourists at Queen Elizabeth Park yesterday seemed unaware that one of the statues was missing and will likely be sold for scrap.
On Thursday, thieves removed one of four statues of the life-size sculpture Photo Session, depicting three people having their photo taken by a fourth.
Jane Brasset, of Port Coquitlam, said that while the theft is sad, its absence creates a natural place for people to be part of the sculpture.
“It’s a great place to stand,” said Brasset, as she watched tourists snuggle into the welcoming arm of one of the remaining statues.
“Before you were always butting up against them. Now you’re in the picture.”
Police estimate the value of the statue at $5,000 and are worried it will be melted down and sold, part of a “dramatic increase” in metal theft over the past several years. Four bronze plaques were also stolen.
Parks Comm. Loretta Woodcock called the theft “sacrilegious” and said there will be increased security to ensure no further damage is done.
Ruth Martel, a guide who has been leading tours through the park for four years, said the statue is a hit with tourists — in part because of the subtle infidelity within an apparently mundane photo session.
The man in the photo has his hand on the backside of the women to his right — the wife of the picture-taker.
