'Family heirloom' stag statue stolen from outside Knightsbridge home

25 March 2024, 12:00 | Updated: 25 March 2024, 12:36

A TV presenter is appealing to track down a "cherished family heirloom" - worth up to £10,000 - which was stolen from outside her home in Knightsbridge.

Alison Cork MBE, 60, said Henry the Stag was swiped from from his spot in south west London in the middle of the night on Sunday 24 March.

In the post to social media, Ms Cork said the life-sized deer statue has been an heirloom for 20 years and represents a "our life in this house as a family".

"If by any chance you see anything on eBay or the like, please do let me know," she said.

She added whoever has taken him is "beyond despicable".

In a post to Instagram, Ms Cork said: "This morning I got up early to go to the gym and saw that Henry was missing. Someone stole him in the middle of the night.

"He’s been in that spot for 20 years, loved by locals, a landmark for cabbies and source of entertainment for passing tourists. He was majestic and elegant. Whoever took him is beyond despicable.

"Sadly for me, this is just another sign of the decline of our great city and the moral decline of aspects of our society.

"I realise this is an inanimate object. But that doesn’t make my sense of loss any less real. It’s a symbol of so much more."

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She told LBC London is suffering a "crime epidemic" and that the city feels "unsafe and uneasy".

"I have lived here for forty years and trust me things have changed in the last few years."

"I care about london and it’s not OK for people to have their property damaged, stolen or otherwise disrespected," she added.

In 2018, she stood as a prospective candidate for London Mayor.

The Metropolitan Police has been approached for comment.