Edmonton police have charged a man in connection with the theft of the Emily Murphy statue and several decorative address plaques. Read More
Edmonton police have charged a man in connection with the theft of the Emily Murphy statue and several decorative address plaques. The City of Edmonton notified police on Feb. 26 that the bronze statue had been removed from Emily Murphy Park as of Feb. 24. During routine maintenance at the park near the south side
Edmonton police have charged a man in connection with the theft of the Emily Murphy statue and several decorative address plaques.
The City of Edmonton notified police on Feb. 26 that the bronze statue had been removed from Emily Murphy Park as of Feb. 24. During routine maintenance at the park near the south side of Groat Road, city workers discovered the park’s statue missing — hacked off at the ankles, with only her shoes left behind.
Advertisement 2
Story continues below
Article content
City staff had also previously reported the nearby standalone plaque missing on Feb. 19. Both the statue and plaque were last seen together and intact on Feb. 4, police said.
Meanwhile, between Feb. 26 and March 9, the Edmonton Police Service (EPS) received seven additional reports of decorative address plaques being stolen from west Edmonton residences. The total value of the stolen items is estimated at more than $250,000.
On March 13, police executed a search warrant at a southeast Edmonton residence believed to be linked to the thefts. Portions of the statue and signs were later recovered from a local metal recycler.
On April 2, Manuel Antonio Saavedra, 43, was arrested and charged with two counts each of possession of stolen property for the purpose of trafficking over $5,000 and proceeds of crime.
The Emily Murphy statue, valued at $250,000, was commissioned by Pearl Hawrelak Porter, former mayor William Hawrelak’s wife, and originally installed in 1992 as a tribute to Murphy’s role in Alberta’s “Famous Five.” While once celebrated as a feminist pioneer, Murphy’s legacy has been re-evaluated in recent years due to her documented racist views, leading to past vandalism of the statue.
Advertisement 3
Story continues below
Article content
Though city parks are maintained by the City of Edmonton, public artwork like the Emily Murphy statue falls under the care of Edmonton Arts Council.
Read More
Bookmark our website and support our journalism: Don’t miss the news you need to know — add EdmontonJournal.com and EdmontonSun.com to your bookmarks and sign up for our newsletters.
You can also support our journalism by becoming a digital subscriber. Subscribers gain unlimited access to The Edmonton Journal, Edmonton Sun, National Post, and 13 other Canadian news sites. The Edmonton Journal | The Edmonton Sun
Article content
Join the conversation