Art sculptures stolen from outside Wakefield Council headquarters cost almost £200,000, meeting told

Thieves removed five pieces of artwork from plinths outside the Wakefield One building on November 28 last year.

The sculptures, titled The Auguries: Last Call, were by British artist Andy Holden and were installed in 2023.

Councillors were told West Yorkshire Police is no longer investigating the crime as the suspects could not be identified on CCTV footage.

The work was part of £1m art trail for the city centre funded by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport with the purpose of animating outdoor spaces with work by contemporary artists.

More details of the incident were revealed at a full council meeting on Wednesday (January 29).

Nadiah Sharp, Independent councillor for Wrenthorpe and Outwood West, submitted a written question to Hannah Appleyard, the council’s portfolio holder for culture, leisure and sport, in advance of the meeting.

Coun Sharp requested details relating to the cost of the artwork and information on any police investigation.

In response, Coun Appleyard said: “The cost of the stolen pieces of art, the full cost, was £196,966.

“It’s important to point out that this includes the artist’s fee, research and development time, design time, fabrication and delivery of the sculptures, the plinths and an engagement event.

“All the artworks making up the Wakefield city centre sculpture trail are insured and we are progressing a claim to receive monies for the loss.”

Commenting on the investigation into the theft, Coun Appleyard said: “There was CCTV of the crime but unfortunately the police weren’t able to identify the perpetrators.

“They were wearing hoods and their identities were concealed.

“We understand that the police are not investigating the matter any further because there’s no suspects identified.

“Each site was assessed for it’s suitability as a location for a city centre sculpture trail.

“Needless to say it’s totally impossible to totally mitigate against crime, damage, theft etc, but Wakefield One wasn’t considered a risky site.

“Namely, because its a public building. There’s people going in and out all the time.

“There is external CCTV covering the area and you have got two residential blocks overlooking the area as well.”

Coun Sharp also asked: “Given that the Wakefield district is world renowned for sculpture, are there any plans to replace the sculptures with artwork from the council’s own collection? If only to avoid the embarrassment of having five empty plinths in place outside the council’s headquarters.”

In response, Coun Appleyard said: “You quite rightly point out that Wakefield is renowned for sculpture.

“We are not planning on replacing the sculptures outside Wakefield One from the council’s own collection.

“We are talking with the original artist, looking at different options in terms of having the artwork produced again, but we are also considering different locations to mitigate any further risk.”

Coun Sharp then asked: “In recent light of council blunders and the budget increases that are incoming in the next couple of months, do you think this incident serves as a metaphor for you haemorrhaging money and assets literally right under your nose?”

Coun Appleyard said: “No, I don’t think that’s the case at all.”

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Holden’s work was said to represent the songs of native birds with rapidly declining populations, including the mistle thrush, skylark and swift.

Recordings of the birds’ songs were turned into 3D waveforms and then cast in metal, with a QR code incorporated in each sculpture so people could listen to each bird’s song.

Describing his creation last year, Holden said: “These sculptures will be melancholy – a time capsule of songs that might soon disappear without due care and never be heard again.”