Police Blotter: Sculpture at Summit High Goes Missing

The saga of The Wedding Party continues.

Just two months after being , the sculpture on the lawn of Summit High School has now gone missing.

The Summit blotter states the sculpture, valued at approximately $2,000, went missing sometime between 4 p.m. and 5 p.m. Monday.

Lt. Steven Zagorski said the incident is under investigation by the department's Juvenile Division because it is believed underage teenagers committed the alleged theft.

Two months ago on Sunday, March 13, was thrilled to welcome a new outdoor sculpture to its landscape. The piece, created by Hawthorne, N.J. artist Daniel Bertelli and titled The Wedding Party, consisting of eight bird-like figures created from steel and fiberglass, and painted in graduated shades of salmon, aqua, blue, and violet.

But no more than 24 hours would pass before it was discovered that the colorful new artwork was attacked by vandals who used black spray paint to deface the figures.

School administrators made a schoolwide announcement asking for a confession and then temporarily suspended students' open lunch privileges until further notice. However, after no students came forward, officials concluded the vandalism must have been a random act of violence.

"One thing I’ve learned in this business is there are no secrets. Kids tell one another what happened and why,” said Assistant Principal Anthony Akey of his belief that someone would come forward with information about the incident.

The scuplture's artist Bertelli proposed that the Summit High School students be the ones to repaint The Wedding Party and the refurbished sculpture was unveiled in April.

Stay tuned to Patch for updates on this story.

Zagorski said it is unknown at this time if the theft is related to the March vandalism incident.

Here the rest of the weekly police blotter:

On May 10, police arrested David Neequaye, 24, of Union, at Springfield Avenue for driving while suspended.
 
On May 12, police arrested Janet C. Mccoy, 56, of Summit, at Edgar Street for driving while suspended and contempt of court.
 
On May 9, police arrested Allen C. Barrow, 49, of East Orange, at Whitesell Court for contempt of court.