A bronze statue of superstar jockey Frankie Dettori has been stolen in a smash and grab raid on a London gallery.
The Tristram Lewis sculpture depicting Dettori sat on three-time Ascot Gold Cup winner Stradivarius was specially commissioned when the rider announced he was to quit the sport in Britain last year. It was called ‘ riding Stradivarius - Going out at Ascot’.
The lifesize version was unveiled by on Dettori's final day in the saddle, before he relocated to the US, on British Champions Day at Ascot 12 months ago.
And a quarter-lifesize edition, about two feet in height, was on display in the front window of the Haynes Fine Art Gallery in Belgravia. London, with an asking price of £18,500.
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However it was stolen last Thursday night when a thief broke into the premises and removed the figure, which was captured on CCTV.
Gallery owner Tony Haynes said: “It’s a lovely sculpture which was positioned centre and front of the main window of our London gallery in the Pimlico Road.
“It was almost blatant because there are restaurants and other places nearby. They were stood there for a good half hour waiting for there to be no people.
“It was a forced entry through a glass panel on the front door. It’s heavy but he’s literally forced his way in and gone through little doors to be able to lever it up and carry it out.
“He came in and went left and left immediately. There was nothing else he was looking at. They walked straight past a Warhol worth £125,000. This was very much a targeted theft."
Haynes said the suspect, who wore a blue top and a baseball cap, had his head down as he entered the gallery.
“Interestingly he has gone straight for the door to get out and then he’s returned for the description tag. I think it’s been taken with a client in mind or even stolen to order.
“It had been in the window for three or four weeks but everything we have put in that position has sold.”
Haynes said officers from the Metropolitan Police arrived within 20 minutes to secure the property and returned the next day to screen the gallery for forensic evidence.
“They reviewed the CCTV and took prints from everywhere that the hands were put and they managed to retrieve hair samples as well,” he said.
“There is a partial viewing of the face. There was somebody outside who was keeping watch. A sharp object was used to get through the laminated glass.”
He added: ““We would very much like this back. We are not interested in insurance. The next victim is the person who is going to buy it.”
