NILES, Mich — For months, feet and ankles were all that was left of a stolen bronze statue at a Niles County park.
The Berrien County Sheriff’s Department said a thief used a lot of force to break off the statue of Madeline Bertrand at the County Park of her namesake on March 16.
What was left of the Madeline Bertrand Statue was just her feet and ankles on the base.
Called "A Potawatamie Woman," the statue has great historical significance to the park and the surrounding area.
On Saturday, someone captured on surveillance video returned the statue around 11 p.m. and placed it at the base of where the statue once stood.
Then the vandal snapped a photo of the statue.
“Although we are happy to have the original statue back, we are all very concerned about this theft and what other damage this person may do at the park or in the surrounding neighborhood," Park Manager Derek Tyler said.
The Sheriff's Department is still looking into who cut the statue off at the ankles and took it from its perch.
If you know something about this theft or see a photo of the Madeline Bertrand statue on social media, you're asked to reach out to the Berrien County Sheriff’s Department Detective Bureau at 269 983-7141, ext 7224.
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