Obama statue goes for a walk

For a short while, the US President was missing.

A life-size statue of Barack Obama was stolen from a home in northern Pennsylvania, US, on Tuesday.

The reclining figure had been on the porch of owner Tiffany Bruce. When she discovered the statue had been stolen, she had a panic attack and had to go to the hospital.

The statue, worth US$1,249 (S$1,560) had been one of her prized possessions - it was even decorated for various holiday seasons, becoming a staple attraction in the Wilkes-Barre neighbourhood.

But on Thursday, the replica was discovered, looking more relaxed than before.

Placed on a park picnic bench, the smiling statue was arranged with a six-pack of alcoholic iced tea and clasping one of the bottles - all empty, to nobody's surprise.

There was also a cigarette butt placed in its mouth.

Ms Bruce told TV station WNEP that she could not understand why anyone would take the statue but that she is relieved to have it back at home.

But the theft has stopped her plans to add to the collection. She said: "I was going to get Hillary (Clinton) too, but I don't want to do it now."

This article was published on Aug 24 in The New Paper.

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