A community in Adelaide's north is pleading for the safe return of a stolen bronze statue that was gifted to the suburb by its Japanese sister city almost 20 years ago.
The Nakayoshi sculpture was given to the city of Salisbury by Japan in 2004 as a symbol of friendship between the two nations.
But a thief allegedly set upon the statue in the middle of the night, slicing through its ankles using an angle grinder and taking the body.
The Japanese mayor of sister city Mobara was due to visit Salisbury next November for the 20th anniversary of the Nakayoshi statue's presence in Mobara Park.
But without a sculpture to show for, Salisbury mayor Gillian Aldridge OAM called the theft "the saddest thing that's happened since I've been mayor".
"It's absolutely irreplaceable and I just don't know how I could possibly bring the Japanese mayor down here next November and let him see this – because he'll be rocked," Mayor Aldridge said.
Mayor Aldridge and the Salisbury community are now calling on the thief to return the sentimental object.
"Please bring it back – it's more than just a statue – it's all about friendship – it's important to the people of Salisbury and it's important to the people of Japan," Aldridge said.
Police are investigating the theft and urge anyone with information about it to contact them.
<img src="https://www.mtlblog.com/media-library/a-large-billboard-in-the-shape-of-a-man-holding-up-a-hand-as-though-to-eat-a-hot-dog-from-it-but-the-hot-dog-is-missing.jpg?id=59883463&width=1200&height=800&coordinates=132%2C0%2C132%2C0"/><br/><br/><p>Whether it's Chez Ben's neon hotdog in Granby, the Big Bagel proudly hanging outside Saint-Simon Bagel, or the giant Guaranteed Pure Milk bottle overlooking Montreal's rue Lucien L'Allier, Quebec has some genuinely iconic food landmarks. </p><p>But when you take away the food, it's just not the same. The dangling chains of the vanished Saint-Simon Bagel and the empty base for the milk bottle show just how strange it is to see these provincial hallmarks missing their culinary elements.</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image">
<img alt="A rural street with green grass and a blue sky with a sign for Saint-Simon Bagel missing its iconic large bagel. Right: A platform on a rooftop surrounded by skyscrapers is missing its iconic water tower in the shape of a milk bottle. " class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="cb18f0a6aafa39afadd82894acb86eb9" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" id="00d8f" loading="lazy" src="https://www.mtlblog.com/media-library/a-rural-street-with-green-grass-and-a-blue-sky-with-a-sign-for-saint-simon-bagel-missing-its-iconic-large-bagel-right-a-platfo.jpg?id=59883464&width=980"/>
<small class="image-media media-caption" placeholder="Add Photo Caption...">Saint-Simon Bagel and Montreal's downtown would be very different without the food. </small><small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="Add Photo Credit..."><a href="https://www.saq.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Courtesy of SAQ</a></small></p><p>Rest assured, these icons haven’t been removed. But, imagining Quebec without them raises an important point about food insecurity in the province, especially as more Quebecers turn to food assistance each year.</p><p>From 2022 to 2024, the number of requests for food assistance fulfilled each month increased by 14%, reaching 2.6 million. Over four years, the number of food baskets distributed doubled, reaching 682,000. </p><p>To help, SAQ is again supporting Food Banks of Quebec (FBQ) with its annual spring campaign — back for its 17th year of getting behind the services that help Quebecers feed their families when times are tough.</p><p>For every <a href="https://sr.studiostack.com/c/link?l=1968268&s=1968260" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Origine Québec product</a> purchased between April 10 and 20, 2025, SAQ will donate two meals to FBQ. If you're inspired to contribute more, you can make a donation of your own when you check out.<br/></p>
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