Re: Paddington bear stolen,now recovered Posted by JayMac at 20:42, 3rd March 2025 | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Paddington being in a town centre with, no doubt, plenty of CCTV and probably some eyewitnesses, even at the late hour of the damage and theft, I imagine it was a relatively easy solve for Thames Valley Police.
Very different to rusting of livestock in the rural countryside.
Re: Paddington bear stolen,now recovered Posted by Timmer at 20:13, 3rd March 2025 | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Rural crime is a huge problem with animals and farm machinery being regularly stolen. It doesn’t always get the press attention and it would appear the police attention it deserves. Farming is tough enough as it is and this kind of theft makes me cross.
I can’t imagine the pain a farmer goes through when he goes to a field the next morning to find all his livestock stolen overnight.
Re: Paddington bear stolen,now recovered Posted by Clan Line at 19:38, 3rd March 2025 | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
I have to wonder if some of the police involved in "solving" this crime could be lent to Devon & Cornwall. I heard on the farming programme on Radio 4 the other morning about the mass rustling of livestock going on in these counties. One farmer alone has had over 2000 sheep stolen. The police have not made one prosecution for livestock theft in these 2 counties in the last five years !! What is more important - peoples' livestock and their livelihood or a glass fibre bear ? No prizes offered for the correct answer......................
Re: Paddington bear stolen,now recovered Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 18:27, 3rd March 2025 | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
From the BBC:
Criminal damage charges over Paddington statue
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Two men have been charged after a Paddington Bear statue was damaged and taken from a bench.
The front of the sculpture was cut away and removed from its seat in Northbrook Street, Newbury, Berkshire at about 02:00 GMT on Sunday, according to Thames Valley Police. It was later recovered.
Daniel Heath, 22, from Thornton, West Yorkshire, and William Lawrence, 22 from Enderby, Leicestershire, were both charged with one count of criminal damage.
Both men have been released on conditional bail to appear at Reading Magistrates' Court on 25 March.
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The statue of the Peruvian bear, holding a marmalade sandwich, was unveiled in the town in October.
Newbury was the home town of Paddington creator Michael Bond.
Newbury Business Improvement District (BID) brought the statue to Newbury, in partnership with StudioCanal, as part of its national Paddington Visits trail.
It was one of 23 models celebrating the children's character placed across the UK last year ahead of the launch of the film Paddington in Peru.
Thames Valley Police said the statue was due to be handed back to the owners for its restoration.
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Two men have been charged after a Paddington Bear statue was damaged and taken from a bench.
The front of the sculpture was cut away and removed from its seat in Northbrook Street, Newbury, Berkshire at about 02:00 GMT on Sunday, according to Thames Valley Police. It was later recovered.
Daniel Heath, 22, from Thornton, West Yorkshire, and William Lawrence, 22 from Enderby, Leicestershire, were both charged with one count of criminal damage.
Both men have been released on conditional bail to appear at Reading Magistrates' Court on 25 March.

The statue of the Peruvian bear, holding a marmalade sandwich, was unveiled in the town in October.
Newbury was the home town of Paddington creator Michael Bond.
Newbury Business Improvement District (BID) brought the statue to Newbury, in partnership with StudioCanal, as part of its national Paddington Visits trail.
It was one of 23 models celebrating the children's character placed across the UK last year ahead of the launch of the film Paddington in Peru.
Thames Valley Police said the statue was due to be handed back to the owners for its restoration.
Re: Paddington bear stolen,now recovered Posted by johnneyw at 09:54, 3rd March 2025 | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
from Newbury in Berkshire.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cd7egx029l9o
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cd7egx029l9o
From the photo it looks like the thieves have pretty much trashed it when cutting out it's front half. Hopefully repairable though.
The tent round the bench made it look somewhat reminiscent of a murder scene.....I wonder if this was something of a tongue in cheek gesture by the local police?
Paddington bear stolen,now recovered Posted by infoman at 05:30, 3rd March 2025 | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
from Newbury in Berkshire.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cd7egx029l9o