Buddha Statue Worth IDR 23 Billion Lost Stolen in Los Angel

A thief sneaked into a luxury art gallery in Los Angeles, United States (US) to steal an ancient Buddha statue worth USD 1.5 million (Rp. 23 billion). The theft was captured on security cameras.

The bronze statue depicting the cross-legged Buddha was taken from the Barakat Gallery in Beverly Grove around 03.45 local time on September 18.

“I previously kept it in my yard, when I moved it to this gallery, I put it in the back yard of the gallery for everyone to admire and enjoy,” said owner Fayez Barakat as reported by okezone.com, Tuesday (26/9/23 ).

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He explained that there was no similar Buddha statue in his collection. The theft may have been planned because of the statue’s prominent location.

Meanwhile, gallery director Paul Henderson said this was the first theft in 12 years of operation. “This statue is rare and not available anywhere in the market,” he said.

“It’s 1.2 meters tall and made of hollow cast bronze. It’s an amazing piece of work. It’s really an aesthetically pleasing statue and it’s a shock to know it’s gone,” he explained.