St Heliers ‘ram raid’: Giant Rugby World Cup Kiwiana-themed sheep statue stolen

Stewart Germann's giant Kiwiana-themed sheep statue, Barbara, which he bought at a charity auction in 2011, was stolen from his St Heliers property overnight on Wednesday. Photo / Stewart Germann

A giant Kiwiana-themed sheep statue, so heavy it requires three men to lift, has been stolen from a leafy St Heliers property.

Stewart Germann paid $3500 for the iconic, “one of a kind” artwork originally commissioned for the 2011 Rugby World Cup at a charity auction over a decade ago.

“Who would do this? It was there last night when I came home [and] this morning when I woke up, it wasn’t. It’s sort of unbelievable as to why someone would want to do this,” Germann told the Herald.

“It’s not the money, it’s the actual asset - it’s iconic, it’s irreplaceable.”

The hollow statue, made from fibreglass and standing about a metre and a half tall was one of 20 made as part of the HeART of the Nation - From the Waka to the Pah and Beyond exhibit.

After buying it at a charity ball, Germann named the statue Barbara “because it’s a giant sheep - ‘baaaa-bara’,” and it became a landmark for those who spotted it from the street on their walks.

Germann’s property is enclosed with a high stone fence and electric gates.

“[The statue] is heavy and it’s quite long. You couldn’t put it on your back. I reckon it must take at least three men to lift,” he said.

“You wouldn’t be able to get it over the fence. You could climb it and jump to the lawn then go in and pull the gates open.

“They would have needed a truck or a trailer outside to put it on and drive off with.”

When he woke, Germann said those responsible for the theft must have closed the gates after themselves. He immediately reported the incident to police, whom the Herald has approached for comment.

“They’d [the thieves] have to put it on their farm or lawn and just want to look at it like stealing a piece of art. They can’t really show it off or sell it. It’s very distinctive.”

Germann remained lighthearted when speaking about the theft itself but said the incident had left him feeling distressed that someone had come onto his property at night.

“We’ve had a few home invasions around the area lately. One guy was beaten up in bed at five in the morning. There’s obviously robbers doing rounds at night,” he said.

“It’s disturbing. My grandchildren are distraught.”

He said the incident had inspired him to install security cameras on his property.

Raphael Franks is an Auckland-based reporter who covers breaking news. He joined the Herald as a Te Rito cadet in 2022.