A bronze statue by renowned sculptor Yannis Pappas was reported stolen Thursday morning from the Paidikis Stegis (Children’s Shelter) square in Piraeus’ Nikaia district.
The theft was discovered by a local resident walking her dog, early Thursday morning, who alerted municipal authorities.
Police from Piraeus and Nikaia have inspected the site and are reviewing footage from nearby surveillance cameras. The municipality has filed suit against unknown persons.
Mayor Konstantinos Maragakis condemned the incident, calling it “not just a criminal act against public property” but also an “insult to the historical memory and the collective identity of our city.”
The work, titled “The Woman of the People”, depicts a petite older woman whose posture, expression, and clothing convey the unseen heroism and burden of working-class women’s daily labor.
A third casting of the original, it was created in the 1970s and donated to the municipality in 2016 by the late artist’s son, Alekos Pappas.