200-pound steel sculpture stolen from Denver yard; owner of artwork says "it kind of breaks your heart"

For nearly a decade, Denver resident Vinny Del Giudice admired the sculpture that stood in the front yard of his Congress Park home. It wasn't just decoration -- it was personal. His daughter had welded the piece years earlier and gifted it to her parents.

"It's your daughter," said Del Giudice, "and that was one of her first works. She's become a very accomplished artist."

The six-foot-long, 200-pound metal sculpture -- something of a self-portrait -- featured a whimsical figure stretched out on the lawn, feet raised, its face turned toward busy 12th Avenue. It was crafted from steel tubes and rolled flat steel strips.

Over time, the piece became a neighborhood fixture, drawing curiosity and praise from passersby.

"They were all quite impressed," said Vinny. "It developed a following."

Then, on the morning of March 27, everything changed.

As Del Giudice set out to walk his dog, a neighbor delivered the news: the sculpture was missing.

"I came home and it was gone," he said.

Thieves had taken it, leaving behind only one of the statue's steel "ribs."

"It was very upsetting, very sad," he said. "The whole thing was kind of heartbreaking."

Heartbreaking -- but not unusual.

Theft of metal artwork on the rise

Scrap metal theft has been a fast-growing property crime in the United States for years, driven largely by rising prices for metals. As commodity values increase, so does the incentive to steal.

Todd Foreman, senior director of law enforcement outreach with the Recycled Materials Association, said copper and aluminum thefts are on the rise—and artwork, especially bronze pieces, are increasingly targeted.

"People steal anything they think they can get value out of," said Foreman. "If they are desperate enough or want that money enough."

Recent cases in Denver highlight the trend.

In February 2024, thieves stole parts of the Martin Luther King Jr. statue in City Park, including bronze pieces later recovered at a scrapyard. Two suspects were arrested.

Last month, two statues were taken from Holy Ghost Church in downtown Denver. They were eventually recovered -- but had been cut up, apparently for scrap. One suspect has been arrested.

"This is terrible for us," Foreman said. "Artwork that is stolen is more than just metal, its a piece of history, art and culture that's stolen from a community."

Artist says "heist" has changed how she works

For Caroline Del Giudice, now a Detroit-based artist who creates and sells large-scale metal works, the loss is deeply personal.

"From the standpoint of an artist, I'm disappointed that somebody stole it," she said.

Still, she tries to see it another way.

She said while she considers it an "art heist," she is hoping somebody stole it "because they loved it."

"So I'm just choosing to believe somebody took it because they liked it so much," Del Giudice said.

The experience has changed how she works. She now makes sure her large pieces are securely anchored.

The stolen sculpture has been entered into a national scrap metal theft database, asking anyone with information to contact Denver police.

Back in Denver, her father is still shaken.

"Crime is crime. It happens, it's part of life," said Vinny Del Giudice. "But if it's out there we'd love to have it back."