"Only the feet of Momotaro and his friends - the dog and the monkey - are left behind. "This art is not just the city's, it's the community's, it's ours and this was stolen from us," Carlos Velazquez with San Jose's Office of Economic Development and Cultural Affairs said. "From the way that it was cut, it seemed like there was some precision saw. We are hoping to get a little bit more information and any leads that we can get from the community.""
"Momotaro is a hero from Japanese folklore, said to have been born from a giant peach, he was revered for his many victorious battles against oni -- or demons. The statue was a gift from the city considered to be his home, Okayama, Japan. Joseph Hedges, San Jose's international affairs manager, says it was given as a sign of respect to San Jose - Okayama's sister city for nearly 70 years."
A five-foot bronze Momotaro statue that stood in downtown San Jose for more than three decades was stolen under cover of darkness on October 15. Only the feet of Momotaro and his companions, the dog and the monkey, remain. Officials observed precise cuts on the statue and requested community assistance and tips. The statue was a gift from Okayama, Japan, symbolizing a nearly 70-year sister-city relationship. City representatives expressed disappointment and concern that thieves might melt the bronze for scrap, and they emphasized the cultural and communal significance of the missing public artwork.
Read at ABC7 San Francisco
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