Police have arrested two men for the theft of a $55,000 giant gnome statue in Auckland.
A 46-year-old and a 55-year-old have been charged with theft and are due to appear in the Auckland District court on Wednesday.
Named 'Thinker', the two-metre-tall cast bronze statue was taken from outside Auckland's Gow Langsford Gallery on Christmas Eve.
CCTV footage showed thieves, dressed in hi-vis vests and hoodies, spending an hour meticulously unbolting the sculpture from its concrete plinth.
The theft was reported to police once the owner discovered it was missing after returning from his Christmas holiday.
The gnome was found on January 15, dumped outside the Salvation Army in Glen Eden and was returned to the gallery.
Newshub.
