One charged for theft of Emily Murphy statue from Edmonton Park
Posted April 24, 2025 3:27 pm.
Last Updated April 24, 2025 5:14 pm.
Edmonton police have charged a 43-year-old man for theft of the Emily Murphy statue in February.
Police say, on February 26, the City of Edmonton notified them about the bronze statue being stolen from Emily Murphy Park. The stand-alone plaque positioned next to the statue was noted missing by City staff the week prior. Both the statue and plaque were last seen together and intact on Tuesday, February 4.
Additionally, between February 26 and March 9, police received seven reports of decorative address plates that had been stolen from residences in west Edmonton. In total, the estimated value of the stolen statue and address plates was over $250,000.
On March 13, police executed a search warrant at a southeast Edmonton residence which was believed to be linked to the thefts. Following the warrant and further investigation, police recovered portions of the statue and signs from an Edmonton metal recycler.
On April 2, investigators arrested and charged Manuel Antonio Saavedra, 43, with possession of stolen property for the purpose of trafficking over $5,000 (x2) and proceeds of crime (x2).
The Edmonton Arts Council told CityNews in a statement:
“We are grateful to EPS for their work on this case, and all of the citizens who have been concerned about this artwork in the City of Edmonton’s Public Art Collection. We are working with EPS currently to confirm that the recovered bronze is from the Emily Murphy sculpture. From there we will assess next steps, although we understand the damage is quite significant.”
