300-pound griffin gone missing from Calgary couple's front yard
'Whoever did this, they knew exactly what they were doing,' owner says
A Calgary couple were stunned on Sunday when they discovered their treasured, 300-pound griffin had gone missing from the front yard of their northwest home.
The hefty figure was a cherished wedding gift for Chris Lewis and Michelle Cheverie, who live in the city's Capitol Hill neighbourhood.
"It looks like a giant bird of prey with huge wings that come over the head, a big arched beak and talons," Michelle Cheverie said in conversation with the Calgary Eyeopener on Tuesday.
"It's absolutely beautiful and spectacular."
She remembered the statue as looking rather "regal" on their front lawn, standing at roughly three feet in height.
LISTEN | Michelle Cheverie talks about the missing statue:
While Cheverie isn't sure who stole the griffin statue or why, she has a theory.
"I really believe that somebody, they had sourced this out and got some buddies together and it's probably sitting in somebody's party room right now," she said.
"I've driven around the neighborhood. Nobody's putting it on their front step or anything like that, but it's a pretty spectacular piece. So that's my guess."
Lewis thinks whoever has the statue isn't going to display the ornament in their garden or front lawn any time soon.
"I believe it's probably been done as a group of people that think it might be something cool to have in their garage," he said.
'Didn't leave a trace'
After Cheverie realized the statue was gone, she started hunting for clues, hoping she would come across evidence of wheel marks from a dolly or something that would aid her in the search for the missing ornament.
"Whoever did this, they knew exactly what they were doing," she said. "They didn't leave a trace."
They are considering turning to police for help but remain optimistic they'll be able to locate the missing ornament soon.
They are planning to distribute flyers with a picture of the statue to help expand their search.
"My son's bike got stolen last year and we got it back, so I have a feeling that we might be able to get this back," Cheverie said.
Sentimental value
She said the griffin statue is deeply meaningful for the family and they're willing to overlook what happened if the statue is safely returned.
"It's not just a lawn ornament," she said. "Just bring it back. No questions asked."
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With files from the Calgary Eyeopener