Statue worth €425k stolen from Paris gallery

The statue, by Colombian artist Fernando Botero and named “Maternity”, is said to weigh over 15kg and measure 57cm long. It was reportedly taken from its place near the entrance of the Bartoux art gallery in the 8th arrondissement, at about 19h on Saturday.

CCTV video of the incident appears to show a man - with his face visible - enter the gallery and spend several minutes looking at the statue before simply taking it under his arm and leaving, in a matter of seconds.

The statue is one of only eight similar models around the world, and dates from 2003. Botero is a well-known artist and sculptor, whose work often features women and men reclining or relaxing, with distinctive rounded shapes.

The case has been referred to the French "Broc” group, which specialises in the repression of art trafficking, and which will now attempt to determine if the thief has benefited financially from the theft. It has equally not ruled out the possibility that the statue was taken on demand for an unscrupulous collector.

The theft of well-known works remains rare, as it is difficult to sell them undetected on the black market.