'Extremely frustrating': Bronze statue stolen from northwest Calgary

The stolen dog statue was part of a bronze statue featuring Gene Hanson, of the Hanson Ranch, on a horse.

A large bronze sculpture has been swiped from a northwest Calgary park and residents of the community want more care to deter these types of thefts.

There is still a bronze sculpture of Gene Hanson, the namesake of Hanson Ranch, but the statue of his dog is missing from Hidden Valley park.

The statue was taken sometime between August 5 and August 6. Someone had to cut through bolts fixing the dog to a concrete platform, and carry the statue down a hill

“("It's) extremely frustrating and disappointing that this would happen,” said Sandy Robertson-Buffett, Hanson Ranch Director with Hidden Valley Community Association.

Though the tribute statuary to Gene Hanson is in sight of several homes, a spokesperson for the Hidden Valley Community Association said  lights installed when the park opened about 20 years ago, were vandalized awhile ago and the city has not replaced them.

Robertson-Buffett called it a crime of opportunity.

“Because it's dark, because it's is obvious people don't frequent this area, it's not a welcoming spot," she said. "It's easy pickings, that dog was easy pickings.”

She said it was a crime of opportunity and thinks community sculptures need better deterrents including proper lighting and good sightlines with trimmed grass and weeds.

Cochrane's iconic The Men of Vision statue was seemingly sawed into by vandals in May 2024 and hundreds of bronze plaques have been stolen from Calgary over the past couple of years, including Calgary cemetery and Telus Spark.

City statement

The city of Calgary provided a statement explaining that “The Gene Hanson tributary statues (man on horseback and dog) fell victim to a theft. The bronze dog that trailed Gene Hanson on horseback was removed from the park.

“Upon closer inspection,” it added, “it was obvious that the bolts that affixed the statue to the platform were sawn off and the statue carried away. The community reported the theft to Calgary Police Service (CPS) and 311 on August 10.

“CPS is investigating and The City is currently sourcing a replacement”

Around 4 pm., Calgary police issued a statement about the stolen statue.

“We encourage businesses or community associations in Calgary to consider installing good quality CCTV in their facilities or publicly-accessible spaces, or installing a security system that is either monitored by a company or by an association member using a mobile application.

“With these systems, activities after hours can be monitored with a motion sensor that alerts the user to activities. Installing CCTV or security systems can both help to deter acts of crime from occurring on the premises, and can also aid investigators in the event of an incident.

“We also encourage businesses to ensure that outdoor areas are well-lit and maintained with proper landscaping and snow clearing to help limit the areas where people can hide from view.

“On private property, residents may want to consider locking up their valuables or keeping them out of sight, and anchoring large decorative items. Alarm systems and security and/or doorbell cameras can also provide a deterrent.”