Watch: Authorities remove mysterious monolith north of Las Vegas

June 24 (UPI) -- Authorities in the Las Vegas area removed a mysterious monolith from the desert north of the city out of concerns of the damage tourists could do to the natural landscape.

The 77-inch tall structure, constructed out of sheet metal and secured with rebar and concrete, was spotted earlier this month about 20 miles north of Las Vegas in the Gass Peak region.

The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department revealed on social media that the monolith was removed late last week "due to public safety and environmental concerns."

The unusual object "is being stored at an undisclosed location while public authorities determine the most appropriate way to dispose of or store the item," the department said.

Police said "it remains unknown how the item got to its location or who might be responsible."

The column evoked memories of similar monoliths discovered in 2020 in locations including Utah, California, Las Vegas, Texas, Florida, Wisconsin, Romania and England's Isle of Wight. An anonymous art collective called The Most Famous Artist later took credit for several of the U.S.-based monoliths.

Another monolith was found earlier this year on Hay Bluff, near Hay-on-Wye, Wales. The origins of that structure remain unknown.