Stolen Kelvingrove sculpture returned after tip-off

An anonymous tip-off has helped police recover a £20,000 sculpture which was stolen from a Glasgow art gallery.

The bronze sculpture Dreaming by Gerald Laing was on public display when it was taken from Kelvingrove Art Gallery in Glasgow.

It was recovered near the gallery thanks to an anonymous call from a member of the public.

An initial examination found no damage to the artwork.

Strathclyde Police say they are continuing their investigation, with Detective Constable Ian Thomson urging the person who called them to get in touch again.

He said: “We are continuing our inquiries to trace those responsible for the theft of the statue. I would ask that the person who contacted police anonymously last night to get in touch again.

“I would also like to thank the public for their help in ensuring that this work of art can now be returned to its rightful place, on show to the public.”

The piece was stolen from the gallery on Sunday. Staff there last saw the bronze head at 3.45pm that day and the alarm was raised 45 minutes later when a worker noticed the 12.8kg piece was missing from the first-floor display.

The art gallery reopened in 2006 after refurbishment and management said this is the first time a piece has been stolen since then.

Laing sculpted Dreaming in 1979 and it was bought by Glasgow Museums and the National Fund for Acquisitions in 1981. It was valued for insurance 10 years ago at £5,000 but is now estimated at £20,000, Glasgow Life, the organisation which manages the city museums, said.

The sculptor died last year aged 75.