Paddington Bear Statue Vandalized and Stolen by RAF Engineers Recovered and Under Repair

Two RAF engineers have been sentenced to community service and fined for damaging and stealing a Paddington Bear statue in Newbury, with the statue now being restored.

• The Paddington Bear statue, part of a UK-wide trail celebrating the character, was vandalized and stolen in Newbury, Berkshire on March 2, 2025.
• RAF engineers Daniel Heath and William Lawrence admitted to the crime, which occurred during a drunken night out and was captured on CCTV.
• The pair were sentenced to a 12-month community order, 150 hours of unpaid work, and ordered to pay £2,725 each in compensation for repairs.
• The statue, broken in half during the incident, was recovered by Thames Valley Police and is currently undergoing restoration.
• The vandalism caused significant distress in the Newbury community, where Paddington creator Michael Bond was born, highlighting the cultural significance of the statue.

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