Police arrest 65-year-old man over vandalism attack on iconic Rundle Mall pigs

A 65-year-old man who allegedly graffitied Rundle Mall’s iconic brass pigs, causing extensive corrosive damage, has been arrested.

The Rundle Mall pigs have been covered since they were vandalised on Wednesday, September 23. Supplied

A 65-year-old man who allegedly vandalised the iconic brass pigs in Rundle Mall has been arrested.

The attack on the longstanding residents – Horatio, Oliver, Truffles and Augusta – happened overnight between Tuesday and Wednesday last week.

Police say the vandalism caused extensive corrosive damage to the brass life-size statues.

Officers swooped on the 65-year-old man just after 4.30pm on Wednesday, after he was spotted on CCTV cameras in Rundle Mall.

After being charged with property damage, he was granted bail to appear in court in January,

The pigs suffered extensive corrosive damage and have undergone repairs.

The graffiti appeared to be politically motivated.

Rundle Mall welcomed the four pigs in July, 1999 in an art installation called “A Day Out”.

They have become one of Adelaide’s most recognisable sculptures.

Adelaide Lord Mayor Sandy Verschoor was “absolutely disgusted” when she learned of the attack last week.

Some tags on the statues appeared to relate to disliking the Liberal Party, while another pig had the word “genesis” written on it.

A local artist – who asked not to be named – said, at the time, the graffiti appeared to have been marked with an acidic substance.