Greeley police continue to investigate the midday theft of a local park’s bronze statue, which has since been restored.
“The Prize Catch” by Kurt Jungblut was restored and put back on display on July 3, more than 50 days after it was sawed at its ankles and stolen from Glenmere Park. Loveland-based Sculpture Services of Colorado restored the statue, costing the city about $600.
Greeley police are thoroughly investigating all leads, according to Greeley Police Public Information Officer Kristen Duus. Police ask that anyone who witnesses suspicious activity near other bronze statues to immediately report it to police.
A small memorial sits on the pedestal of the stolen ‘The Prize Catch’ bronze statue in Glenmere Park in Greeley on Wednesday, May 13, 2026. (Brice Tucker/Staff Photographer)
The statue was stolen from the park from 2-3 p.m. May 12 at Glenmere Park. Police at the time said a white box truck spotted at the park may have been involved. The statue was found the following day at Rocky Mountain Recycling, a Commerce City-based metal recycling business.
The Greeley Public Art Program said the theft of the statue caused significant structural damage, and the statue had to undergo some extensive restoration before it was put back on display.
“The team performed all restoration work on-site at Glenmere Park, carefully welding the severed sections, filing and refining the repaired surfaces, and applying a new patina to seamlessly restore the sculpture’s appearance while preserving Kurt Jungblut’s original artistic vision,” the Greeley Public Art Program said in a statement.
The statue, showing a young boy holding up a fish, was placed in the city in 1999 and cost the city about $6,100, but Greeley Public Information Officer Kim Kappel said in May that the statue has likely appreciated in value over the years.
“Our public parks and the art within them belong to everyone in Greeley,” Greeley police said in a statement, “We deeply appreciate the dedication of our community and their interest in ensuring ‘The Prize Catch’ was returned to its rightful home at Glenmere Park.”