2 bronze statues stolen from Waukegan library

Police in North suburban Chicago are investigating after thieves stole two bronze statues at the Waukegan Public Library.

Elizabeth Stearns is assistant director of community services at the library. She says the thefts are particularly upsetting because the statues were “purchased by people in honor of somebody.” The News-Sun in Waukegan reports the thieves apparently chipped away at the statues’ bolted, stone bases.

The stolen statues included “Little Scholar,” which portrays a boy reading a book, and “Imagine That,” which shows a girl reading a book. The statues were among 11 in the library’s courtyard. Stearns estimates their combined cost at about $15,000.

Stearns says the pieces are insured, but library officials would like to recover the originals.