The large raven sculpture cawing at the start of the Interurban Trail after crossing from Seattle into Shoreline has been stolen. It is the second public sculpture to go missing in recent weeks after the beloved piece Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes was stolen from her place near the northwest end of the University Bridge.
The thief or thieves have not yet been found, and police have not said whether they believe the incidents are connected or what the motive might be. The thieves may intend to sell them as scrap, especially since the Sadako sculpture cut above the ankles making it unlikely that it was stolen by someone who wanted to keep or sell it as a work of art.
The Emissary Raven by Tony Angell has been perched at the Interurban trailhead since 2005. I hope it is recovered, and Shoreline says they will “accept the return of the sculpture with no questions asked,” according to a press release:
Earlier this week, we discovered that the Emissary Raven sculpture had been stolen from its pedestal located at the 145th Street Interurban trailhead. Donated to the City by the Shoreline Rotary in 2005, the sculpture was created by artist Tony Angell and was conceived as a welcoming form for travelers moving along the Interurban Trail into Shoreline.
If you have any information about the theft of the art or its current location, please contact Shoreline Police Sergeant Scott Fitchett at 206-801-2756 or email [email protected].
Reference case number C24023871. You can remain anonymous.
We will accept the return of the sculpture with no questions asked. Please contact Public Art Coordinator Mylinda Sneed at 206-801-2661 or [email protected] to coordinate its return.
Comments
2 responses to “Raven sculpture stolen from start of Interurban Trail in Shoreline”
We were thinking about donating a sculpture to a small town in eastern Washington. We wanted to be sure it had longevity and from prior experience we wanted the interior of the sculpture steel reinforced and have it have a steel and concrete foundation 5 feet buried in the ground. Too bad the crow sculpture didn’t have that.
Your best bet would also be to ensure the sculpture material has no intrinsic value to meth heads and scrap dealers. Steel, wood, glass, resin, plastic, stone. Avoid copper or bronze.
The only way to prevent thefts like these is to require scrap dealers to “know their customers”, much like the rules banks must follow — document sales, only issue payment to a bank account (no cash sales), require photo IDs or a scrap selling license, etc. This won’t totally eliminate the problem, but it would dramatically lower it. The meth heads will move onto something easier and more profitable. Like, I don’t know, bike theft.