The left arm of a bronze statue of former U.S. president Ronald Reagan, which stands next to a likeness of Pope John Paul II, was hacked off and stolen in Gdansk, Poland. The limb was found to be missing on Tuesday, and police are on the hunt for the thieving vandal, according to reports.
The statues, which depict the Polish-born pontiff and the president walking and talking, were inspired by an image taken by Associated Press photographer Scott Stewart during the pope's visit to the the United States in 1987. The statues were erected in Gdansk last year in memory of the support and solidarity the world leaders gave Poland in its struggle for democracy. The statues were a popular site where people left flowers, the local press noted.
The damage to the Reagan statue was initially estimated to exceed about $30,000, though it was reported that the sculptor said the repairs could be made for much less and in just a few weeks.
The statues are located in the Ronald Reagan park in the Przymorze district of Gdansk. They are larger-than-life, standing more than two metres high.
The former U.S. president is held in high esteem in Poland for his efforts in toppling the former Communist regime. In 2007 Polish President Lech Kaczynski presented Nancy Reagan, on behalf of her late husband, the Order of the White Eagle, the nation's highest honor. There is also a statue of Reagan in Warsaw, and a traffic circle in Wroclaw named after him.
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