Stolen San Jose statue found at scrapyard
Metal recycling center where sculpture was recovered previously cited for illegal activity
On Feb. 8 we reported on a cherished Indian statue stolen in January from a public park in San Jose. Later that day, we found it.
While searching for leads on the statue's location, this Bay Area News Group reporter discovered the 440-pound sculpture of 1600s-era Indian ruler Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj next to a soda machine in the lobby of Tung Tai Group, a San Jose metal scrapyard north of downtown.
The statue, which features the Indian ruler on a horse grasping a sword, was reported stolen on Jan. 31 from Guadalupe River Park, sawed off at the hooves. After being notified of its location, two police officers and two detectives went to the scrapyard at about 2 p.m. Feb. 9 and interviewed its workers. An officer and one of the scrapyard's workers then loaded the statue into the back of a patrol car.
The scrapyard where the statue was found has been cited numerous times for illegal activity, including a 2021 catalytic converter theft crackdown, a 2010 scheme to scam the state out of $1 million and a 2007 police sting to retrieve stolen metals. The shop is located near San Jose Mineta International Airport in an industrial area and is about 2 miles north of the park where the statue was swiped.
Workers there said two men and one woman came to the site at 1726 Rogers Ave. on Jan. 29 to drop off the sculpture, but did not provide a more detailed description of the trio. Another employee, who identified herself as Rebecca, refused to provide information about who brought it to the shop. No arrests were made during the Feb. 9 retrieval.
The statue appeared to be in good condition, which heartened Sunil Ganu, a San Jose resident who helped get the statue installed over two decades ago.
“I am so glad that it is back,” Ganu said. “People wanted to know where it was.”
The statue was first brought to the city in 1999 as a symbol of friendship between San Jose and its sister city of Pune located in western India. Months after it was brought to San Jose, it was stolen from a residence and later discovered by a jogger on a city trail. It was later installed by the city in 2002.
The statue's subject, known
best as the founder of India's Maratha Empire, is still celebrated around the world, with a major event coming up in a few weeks in Los Angeles. At Guadalupe River Park, it was propped up on a large concrete block alongside a pole with rotating flags of San Jose and India, as well as plaques describing Shivaji Maharaj's significance.
Suneel Kelkar, president of the San Jose-pune sister city organization,
said he was happy to have the statue recovered but questioned whether it could be reinstalled considering its legs were cut off.
“I don't know if you can use it anymore,” he said. “I don't know if it can be repaired.”
Before the statue was recovered, both Banu and Kelkar said they were perplexed at how individuals could steal the sculpture.
According to Ganu, the statue had to be hoisted by a small crane when it was originally installed. The horses' hooves are also quite thick — roughly 3 to 4 inches in diameter. City officials also are still figuring out whether the statue is made of bronze or iron. At 440 pounds, a bronze statue would fetch approximately $880, while an iron statue would be around $88 as scrap metal.
The mayor's spokesperson on Feb. 9 said police will be investigating the incident and the statue will eventually be returned to the city. It wasn't immediately clear whether it could be reinstalled at Guadalupe Park River.
San Jose's International Affairs Manager Joe Hedges said the missing statue had sparked reactions across the globe when it first disappeared.
“We are so pleased to have the statue back,” he said. “I hope it is in a condition where it can be reinstalled and enjoyed by our citizens.” He said the city would be reaching out to San Francisco's Consulate General of India to notify them of the statue's recovery.
“This statue holds incredible value to our Indian community, embracing our shared pride and respect for the warrior-ruler Shivaji and our relationship with our sister-city Pune,” said Mayor Matt Mahan in a statement on Feb. 9. “I'm thrilled it will shortly be returned to the City.”