Public sculptures stolen or vandalised leaving ratepayers from Norwood, St Peters and Payneham Council to foot bill

The theft of pricey public sculptures from Adelaide’s inner east has left an artist devastated while the City of Norwood, St Peters and Payneham struggles to recoup the costs.

The thefts have left eastern suburbs ratepayers almost $200,000 out of pocket.

Several public sculptures have been stolen or vandalised at Norwood, St Peters and Payneham Council, leaving ratepayers more than $170,000 out of pocket as the council struggles to make an insurance claim.

A council report, published last week, said three of the artworks were stolen in October from Linde Reserve at Stepney and copper from another work was stolen later the same month from the Old Mill Reserve at Hackney.

The “German migration” at Stepney before theft. Picture: Supplied

The “German migration” at Stepney after theft. Picture: Darren Chaitman

The Stepney metal sculptures, collectively insured for $172,552, included a tuning fork, an owl perched on a pole and a “German migration artwork” consisting of a mother, young boy and baby.

But the council has so far been unable to recover costs through insurance, because the artist studio, Liquid Metal Studios, said it would not replace the sculptures.

“This is a disappointing and frustrating response as the insurance claim cannot be finalised until a formal quotation is received,” the council report said.

Dog and tuning fork sculpture at Stepney before theft. Picture: Supplied

Dog, minus fork, at Stepney after theft. Picture: Darren Chaitman

However, one of two artists behind the studio, Meliesa Judge, told The Advertiser she was happy to provide a quote to the council.

“They haven’t contacted me since before Christmas, so I assume they didn’t still need it,” she said.

“I can write them a quote – that’s not an issue.

“But I’m not happy to make work to go back into a park where there aren’t security cameras. It’s too soul destroying.”

An owl pole sculpture at Stepney, before theft. Picture: Supplied

The owl pole sculpture at Stepney after the theft. Picture: Emma Brasier

Ms Judge said she believed thieves had targeted the artworks, not just the metal, because the sculptures were cut off from the base, leaving them fully intact.

NPSP Mayor Robert Bria described the thefts as “disgusting and selfish acts by people with no shame or respect for the community”.

A parrot upon a gumnut sculpture at Hackney, before theft. Picture: Supplied

The parrot gumnut sculpture at Hackney on Sunday. The artwork is being repaired after copper was stolen from it. Picture: Darren Chaitman

The council report said copper was stolen from a Hackney sculpture by Nicholas Uhlmann, which depicts a parrot on a gumnut.

The report said a repair would cost $9056 and the artist has recommended replacing the remaining copper to prevent more thefts, at a cost of $13,507, which would not be covered by insurance. The work is being repaired.

The platypus sculpture at St Peters Town Hall before attempted theft. Picture: Supplied

The platypus sculpture at St Peters Town Hall is in storage after an attempted theft. Picture: Darren Chaitman

The report said thieves recently also attempted to steal a platypus sculpture from St Peters Town Hall, and a 2m section of a lightning conductor at Norwood Town Hall was stolen in late 2024.

Part of the German migration artwork had already gone missing in 2015, before waterbird sculptures at Stepney, also by Liquid Metal Studios, disappeared in 2022.

The council said the incidents were reported to police.

Originally published as Public sculptures stolen or vandalised leaving ratepayers from Norwood, St Peters and Payneham Council to foot bill