[MSN] Coast Guardsmen pay to replace stolen clown sculpture

[Museum Security Network Mailinglist]

Coast Guardsmen pay to replace stolen clown sculpture

Members of the U.S. Coast Guard who were identified in the theft of a six-foot clown sculpture from TideWell's "Clowning Around Town" public art project in Sarasota have paid $3,500 for the complete replacement of the sculpture. No further legal action will be pursued.

The clown was removed from its location in Sarasota and taken aboard a Coast Guard vessel based in St. Petersburg. One of the sailors said he later returned the sculpture to downtown Sarasota and alerted authorities through an anonymous phone call. Sarasota police have been unable to recover the sculpture.

Having been made aware of the clown project's purpose to support TideWell's Children's Services Program, several members of the Coast Guard have volunteered to help with security of the clown sculptures. Their efforts in addition to the surveillance cameras will help deter further damage, safeguarding their value for the upcoming auction.

TideWell Hospice and Palliative Care is an independent, not-for-profit organization providing the highest quality of care that embraces a comprehensive continuum of services for patients and families dealing with advanced illnesses. TideWell serves more than 950 patients a day in Sarasota, Manatee, Charlotte and DeSoto counties.

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