‘We just don’t know what happened’: Sculpture stolen from ND Museum of Art

FARGO, N.D. (Valley News Live) - The North Dakota Museum of Art is asking for the public’s help to find a statue that was stolen from them this week. The ‘Garden Circle’, the piece of art that went missing, has been a fixture at the museum since 1998.

“We’ve worked with the UND police department, we’ve worked with sheriff’s department here to try and find it,” said Matthew Wallace, the director of the North Dakota Museum of Art. “If it was a prank or down in the culley somewhere or in someone’s backyard, we just don’t know what happened.”

Unfortunately, there are no cameras on that side of the campus, which makes it even harder to figure out where it went.

“It certainly makes it tougher,” said Wallace. “Makes us realize what needs to be done to better secure this stuff. We never expected it would just disappear at all.”

Wallace said it’s disheartening to see someone take the piece of art, especially since the sculpture was a landmark for the museum.

“For us, the artowrk that surrounds the museum is all part of our permanent collection so it is a part of our identity,” said Matthew Anderson, the director of education for the ND Museum of Art. “So if something goes missing it, it’s a part of that goes missing.”

The museum is offering a reward of $1,000 for the return of their beloved statue. If you have any information regarding this case, you are encouraged to contact the UND Police Dept. at 701-777-3491. Both the police and museum said they will take the statue back with no questions asked as well.

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