A pair of bungling thieves flogged a stunning bronze statue as scrap for just £200, only to learn that its true value was almost £100,000.
The work, entitled Mother and Child, was the product of celebrated English sculptor Laurence Broderick and once formed the centrepiece of Cherrybank Gardens in Perth.
It remained in place when the much-loved gardens closed in 2008, but as the site became increasingly overgrown it was targeted by partners in crime Darren Angus and Gavin Pentland.
The pair crudely removed the sculpture from its pedestal and loaded it into the back of a van, causing thousands of pounds worth of damage in the process, as they robbed the gardens in November last year.
Believing it was made out of copper, they passed it off to an enterprising scrap merchant for a tiny fraction of what it was really worth.
The depths of their folly only became apparent to them when they were traced by police officers investigating the theft.
Angus, 33, of Glenartney Terrace, Perth, and Pentland, 34, of Birnam Crescent, Perth, appeared at the city’s sheriff court to admit stealing the statue from Cherrybank Gardens on November 22 last year.
They now face imprisonment, although sentence has been deferred in the first instance until June 27 for reports.
Solicitor David Holmes attempted to persuade the court his clients had believed the statue was “abandoned” as the garden was overgrown and its gates open.
He added: “Had the full value of the statue been known, they would not have tried to sell it for scrap for just £200.”
Sheriff Alastair Brown dismissed the claim, saying: “The theft of metal is an increasing and pervasive problem and thieves always claim that they thought the items were abandoned and scrap.
“The fact is that they have gone into somewhere they have no business being with a van and they have taken something that does not belong to them, before selling it for £200.
Speaking yesterday, Mr Broderick, 77, retained fond memories of his work which, he recalled, had once been one of Cherrybank Gardens central features and had featured prominently in the attraction’s advertising.
He said the “life-size” 5ft Mother and Child statue had initially been commissioned for £80,000 and had been joined in the gardens by a half-size version.
“I understand the police found the sculpture in a breakers’ yard and that it was in a terrible state,” he said.
“The half-size version of the sculpture was also stolen from Cherrybank at some point.
“I hope this pair gets sent down for a long time.”
Cherrybank Gardens was once home to a heather collection of recognised national importance but closed almost five years ago when operators said it was no longer viable as a standalone facility.
It had been hoped the gardens would be incorporated into the £25 million Calyx project through which it was hoped to create “Scotland’s Garden” only for those ambitious plans to fall through.
The site is now owned by oil firm Merlin ERD.