Theft of £1,000 in pennies hailed as artistic success

ALMOST £1,000 worth of pennies were stolen from a public artwork in less than a day in Cambridge, but the artist and organisers behind the project have hailed it a success.

Anna Brownsted, an artist, put the 1p pieces – weighing around 57.5 stone – in a water feature as part of an installation called Pence Sterling. The coins were stolen overnight on Saturday, with just £1.66 left behind, despite a sign near the fountain warning that it was under CCTV surveillance.

Ms Brownsted said she had made the piece as a “social experiment” designed to explore human nature. The money was reportedly left to see if people would use it to make a wish, or take it for themselves.

Daniel Pitt, the artistic director, said: “We do not consider the removal of the money to be a theft as the money was there for people to interact with as they saw fit as part of this art project.”

The work was financed from an Arts Council England lottery grant. Had any money been left over, it would have been given to a local homeless charity.