WILSONVILLE, OR (KPTV) -
An 8-foot-tall statue of the fictional bear Gentle Ben has been found, but who stole the statue and why they stole it remains a mystery.
The bear statue was the centerpiece of Morey's Landing Park at the corner of Southwest Orchard Drive and Parkview Drive in Wilsonville, where it was fastened to a slab of concrete.
Neighbors said the statue of the bear weighs hundreds of pounds. It was there Wednesday night, but was gone by Thursday morning.
Gentle Ben was first featured in a children's novel written by Oregon author Walt Morey in the 1960s.
A Clackamas County sheriff's office spokesman said the bear statue was found off a gravel road off Anna Road near Newberg. That's about 11 miles away from the park where it was stolen.
Anyone with information on who is responsible for the theft is asked to call the sheriff's office.
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