Brazen Henry Moore theft

Police hunting thieves who stole a Henry Moore sculpture worth £3m have recovered the lorry they believe was used by the gang. The Mercedes vehicle, which had been stolen from Royston about an hour before the theft, was located in Coopersale near Epping, Essex.

The bronze Reclining Figure was stolen from the grounds of the Perry Green estate in Much Hadham, on Thursday. Hertfordshire Police fear it could be melted down and sold as scrap. . .

CCTV cameras filmed the three raiders as they used a crane to lift the two-tonne piece onto the lorry.

UPDATE: £5,000 reward now on offer -- whoops, now a report of £100,000. The sculpture was not in its usual position, which may have made the thieves' job easier:

The statue was taken from a farmyard next to the Henry Moore Foundation visitor centre, where it was awaiting repositioning after being removed from a display in a field.

Posted by David on December 18, 2005 1:20 PM