Thieves take off with bronze statue of Formula One racing legend Gilles Villeneuve

A depository dedicated to revered Formula One operator Gilles Villeneuve is racing to find its stolen bronze statue of the Quebec speedster earlier it gets melted down for cash.

Alain Bellehumeur, wide manager of the Gilles Villeneuve Museum, says the 5 ft 3 inches gangly statue was seemingly sawed disconnected astatine the ankles sometime betwixt Wednesday nighttime and Thursday, and helium is asking the nationalist for assistance locating it.

The statue was created successful 1984 successful tribute of Villeneuve, who participated successful 67 Formula One races from 1977 to 1982, winning six earlier dying successful a racing mishap portion qualifying for the Belgian Grand Prix astatine the property of 32.

In 1994 the statue was placed extracurricular the depository dedicated to him successful Berthierville, Que., astir 70 kilometres northeast of Montreal, wherever Bellehumeur says the statue became an important portion of the community’s taste heritage.

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He says the statue outgo $25,000 to built successful 1984 and that helium is disquieted the thieves program to melt it and merchantability the bronze.

Jules Lasalle, the antheral who sculpted the statue, says the theft is simply a large disappointment and hopes it volition soon beryllium returned.