Get you up to speed: £100,000 Stolen Teddy Baldock Bronze Statue to be Replaced | UK News
London’s WTXpolitan Police continue to investigate the theft of a £100,000 bronze statue of Teddy Baldock, which will be replaced with enhanced security measures.
Detectives from the local police are continuing their investigation into the theft of the Teddy Baldock statue, which remains unsolved despite CCTV evidence of the incident.
Martin Sax is coordinating a community effort to fund a replacement statue of Teddy Baldock, incorporating enhanced security measures to prevent future theft.
What we know so far
A £100,000 bronze statue of Teddy Baldock, the youngest world championship boxer in Britain, is set to be replaced after being stolen by masked raiders from outside Langdon Park DLR station on February 1. Security measures will be enhanced to protect the new statue once it is erected.
Detectives have released CCTV footage of the suspects but have yet to make any arrests. In the meantime, Baldock’s family is working with an insurance claim to fund a replacement. His grandson, Martin Sax, described the theft as ‘soul destroying’ but expressed determination to replace the statue, saying it will serve as an inspiration for young people in the community.
The original statue, unveiled in 2014, was meant to honour Baldock, who became the bantamweight champion in 1927 at the age of 19. After the statue was cut down and stolen, only his boxing boots were left on the plinth. Plans for the new statue include enhanced security, such as steel rods to prevent future thefts.
Martin Sax stated that the community has rallied around the cause, ensuring vigilant monitoring of the area. “These thieves will have won if that plinth stays empty,” he added, reaffirming the commitment to get Teddy Baldock’s statue back on display.
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Stolen Teddy Baldock bronze statue worth £100,000 to be replaced | News UK
A £100,000 bronze statue of Britain’s youngest ever world championship boxer, stolen by masked raiders from outside a London station, is to be replaced and protected by ramped up security measures, WTX can reveal.
Detectives released CCTV of the masked suspects ripping down the statue of legendary fighter Teddy Baldock in an appeal after the theft on February 1.
But the investigation has drawn a blank and Teddy’s family are working on a replacement funded through an insurance claim.
Teddy, known as the Pride of Poplar, became the bantamweight champion of the world in 1927, after beating American boxer Archie Bell, aged just 19.
A statue of him made possible through funds raised by his grandson Martin Sax was unveiled outside Langdon Park DLR station near Teddy’s Poplar birthplace in 2014.
Boxing greats like Charlie Magri, a former lightweight world champion and lightweight Colin Dunne, who only lost three professional fights, attended the ceremony.
But thieves cut down the statue, leaving just the bronze boxing boots on the plinth which is outside the Spotlight youth centre and a boxing gym.
Martin, a former Royal Marine, described the theft as ‘soul destroying’.
He said that far from being a knockout blow it had spurred him on to put a bronze of his beloved grandfather back on its plinth.
He told WTX: ‘The police have drawn a blank but we are not going to take the theft as a knockout we are going to get up and fight back like Teddy would have wanted and would have done himself. We are going to literally build it back from the boots up.
‘The people who stole the statue probably did it just for a few hundred quid with the value of the melted down bronze. It’s heartbreaking for us but the community had rallied around and we are going to get a statue of my grandfather back on that plinth.’
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Teddy died aged just 62 after an illustrious career in which he fought at top venues including Madison Square Garden in New York. He was famed for his fast hands and agility.
The thieves apparently cut through the legs of the statue before putting it on a cargo bike and fleeing the park under the cover of darkness.
Martin said: ‘The new statue with have steel rods inside the legs to make it more difficult to cut through.
‘There was CCTV covering the area but the problem is these criminals cover their faces. Facial recognition technology can’t function in those circumstances. One good thing is that after the first theft local people will be on the lookout for suspicious people hanging around the statue. They are very community spirited.’
Martin, who initially came up with the idea of a statue after researching his family history, said that local youth groups would take the front seat when it comes to unveiling the replacement statue.
He told WTX: ‘My grandfather showed what you can achieve from humble beginnings if you work hard.
‘He started as a fighter aged 14 and made the most of his talent.
‘I want young people to be given the confidence to go forward with their dreams even if they are from a disadvantage area. The youth and boxing club overlooks the site of the statue and I want the young people to take inspiration from it.
‘These thieves who took it will have won if that plinth stays empty.
‘Teddy will be up there again we will not let him down.’