Overview
- Local officials in Bréville‑les‑Monts discovered the bronze piper missing in the early hours of Friday and reported the theft to police after finding the plinth empty.
- The one‑tonne sculpture honoured a piper of the 51st Highland Division and stood for about 15 years in the grounds of Château St‑Côme near Caen as a tribute to Scottish infantrymen who fought in Normandy.
- A source close to the inquiry told reporters the statue had been forced off its plinth and clearly loaded onto a vehicle, prompting investigators to appeal publicly for witnesses and CCTV footage.
- Officials and commentators say thieves are likely targeting bronze for scrap and some fear the statue may be irretrievable, with proposals now circulating to embed trackers or cast replacements to deter future thefts.
- The loss has disrupted local plans for the 82nd D‑Day anniversary and renewed debate about protecting war memorials after similar metal thefts have removed other commemorative fixtures.