(KRON) — A “beloved” statue that was a gift to the city of San Jose from its sister-city, Okayama, Japan, was sawn off where it stood and stolen, city officials announced Tuesday.
The statue in Guadalupe River Park, along with its bronze plaque, told the folklore story of Momotaro. It depicts a young boy with a pheasant on his shoulder, a dog and a monkey. It was gifted by Okayama to San Jose in 1993.
City officials called the piece “an important and beloved part of our community.” San Jose established its sister-city partnership with Okayama in 1957, according to the Guadalupe River Park Conservancy.
Anyone with information on its theft or its current whereabouts is asked to call the San Jose Police Department at 408-277-8900…