Bemidji Police Release Surveillance Video Showing People Climbing On Paul Bunyan, Breaking Statue's Arm
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- The Bemidji Police Department has released surveillance video in hopes of identifying the people who climbed on Paul Bunyan and broke the arm of the Minnesota landmark.
Police say that Paul's right arm is currently being held in place by rebar that runs throughout the statue, but the concrete has given way after several people are believed to have climbed onto Paul's arm and a nearby sign.
On Friday, police released surveillance video showing several people climbing on the statue and leaving once one of them broke the statue's arm.
The investigation into the damage continues. Anyone with information is asked to contact Crime Stoppers on the website or at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477). All contact with Crime Stoppers is anonymous. Those who provide information may be qualified for a $1,000 reward.
The statue has been in Paul Bunyan Park since 1937. Bemidji had hired a conservation team to work on the Paul Bunyan and Babe statues in the park. They are now going to change their timeline to assess and fix the damage.