Life-size bronze stag statue worth £10,000 stolen from presenter Alison Coker’s home

A TV presenter has called for the return of her life-size bronze stag sculpture after thieves snatched it from her front garden.

Award-winning interior designer Alison Cork, creator of Home in the Country and 60 Minute Makeover, said she was grateful for the “precious heirloom” Henry had at her family’s Knightsbridge estate. The absence “left a big hole.”

The 60-year-old man told evening standard: “After he was stolen, I felt like my happiness was gone.

“He’s like part of our family and ties the community together. The local kids decorate him for the holidays and put spider webs and stuff on him for Halloween.”

“Thousands of tourists took photos with him and he was so beloved that he became world-famous. Taxi drivers regarded him as an intellectual landmark and he was part of the fabric of life in this corner of London.”

Ms Coker said she paid £10,000 for the stag almost 20 years ago and now has a £1,000 reward on its head.

She first noticed he was missing on Sunday morning but said she was “disappointed” she had not heard from the Metropolitan Police since reporting the incident.

“The statue was very heavy, so they couldn’t have ridden off with him on their bikes. They must have put him in a van, which required two people,” she added.

“I haven’t been in touch with officials or anyone personally, which is disappointing. I know the attitude may be ‘it’s just a statue’ but there is a wider significance here. I think there is a sense of unease in London and crime is soaring . My neighbor’s wheel was stolen and they came out to find it propped up by bricks.”

Ms Cork appealed on social media to find the stag, contacting local businesses for CCTV footage and the British Metal Recycling Association to see if anyone was selling the item for scrap.

The Metropolitan Police said: “Police were contacted at a residential address in Knightsbridge on Sunday, March 24. A woman reported that her bronze deer statue had been stolen.

“No arrests have been made and investigations are ongoing.”

It follows a series of thefts of bronze statues in Surrey and Sussex, with at least three thefts since January.

Surrey Police warned homeowners with bronze statues to “remain vigilant and take precautions” in a statement two weeks ago.

If you have information that could help police please call 101 or post @MetCC.