Five bronze sculptures stolen from Richmond Hill's Lake Wilcox Park
York police investigate theft of priceless public art from popular walking path; sculptures likely melted down.
The day's top stories, food & events — every morning at 7. Unsubscribe anytime.
A beloved bronze Midland Painted Turtle sculpture and four other bronze statues vanished from Lake Wilcox Park in Richmond Hill earlier this month, leaving the community and artist heartbroken.
York Regional Police reported the theft on August 12 and are investigating, though they have not yet confirmed the exact timeframe. Mayor David West said the sculptures likely went missing overnight between August 10 and 11.
The turtle sculpture — which sat on an elevated pedestal on the park's walking path — weighed just under 200 pounds. Four other pieces mounted on poles were also stolen. Councillor Carol Davidson said a local resident noticed the turtle was gone while walking the path.
"It's really a punch in the gut, that something that the community paid for, the community enjoyed is just stolen," Davidson said.
Steve Worthington, the artist who sculpted the pieces, called the theft "heartbreaking" in a statement. "These pieces were created to bring joy to the Richmond Hill community and connect people with local wildlife," he said.
Police say the theft "appears to have been an opportunistic crime for personal gain." A police statement noted that while metal theft is common, damage to public art is "particularly egregious because it victimizes an entire community. These sculptures are unique pieces that residents enjoyed. The reality is that by now the stolen statues have likely been melted down."
Davidson reflected on the human cost: "In terms of the turtle in particular, it was a beloved piece. I wish there was a way to count the number of hands that had patted the shell, the number of little babies that sat on it."
There is a glimmer of hope. The original mold for the turtle was destroyed in a fire, but before that happened, Worthington cast only three of these turtles in bronze. One is in his personal collection, another is at a children's hospital, and a third was stolen. Worthington has reached out to the City of Richmond Hill to offer one of the remaining pieces — the only exact replacement that will ever exist in cast bronze.
"I absolutely think we need to be replacing these pieces. What that looks like at this point in time, I'm not sure yet. Our staff is actively looking into this," Mayor West said.
Richmond Hill has since beefed up bylaw patrols in the park. York police are asking anyone with information to contact them.
At a glance
What was stolen from Lake Wilcox Park?
Five bronze sculptures were stolen from Lake Wilcox Park in Richmond Hill, including a Midland Painted Turtle sculpture weighing just under 200 pounds and four other bronze pieces mounted on poles.
When did the theft occur?
York Regional Police reported the theft on August 12, 2026. Mayor David West said the sculptures likely went missing overnight between August 10 and 11, 2026.
Who created the stolen sculptures?
Steve Worthington, a local artist, sculpted the stolen pieces. He created them to bring joy to the Richmond Hill community and connect people with local wildlife.
Could the stolen turtle sculpture be replaced?
Yes. Worthington cast only three bronze turtles before the original mold was destroyed in a fire. One remains in his personal collection and another is at a children's hospital. Worthington has offered to give one of these remaining turtles to the City of Richmond Hill as a replacement.
