Police hunt thieves who stole Frankie Dettori statue in smash and grab raid on Belgravia gallery

A bronze statue of champion jockey Frankie Dettori was stolen in a smash and grab raid on a Belgravia gallery - but £1 million worth of art including an Andy Warhol painting was ignored.

The two foot-high (60cm) sculpture depicting Dettori on three-time Ascot Gold Cup winner Stradivarius was commissioned when he announced he was to quit the sport in Britain last year.

The lifesize version was unveiled by Queen Camilla on the jockey’s final day in the saddle at Ascot last year, but the smaller version with an asking price of £18,500 was stolen from the front window of the Haynes Fine Art Gallery on Pimlico Road.

CCTV images posted onto the gallery’s social media page reveals a pair of thieves broke into the building at about 10.15pm on October 3 after throwing a rock through a glass pane in the door.

One can then be seen climbing in and taking the maquette from the window, before passing it through the door to their accomplice.

But they ignored other artworks in the shop, including an original Andy Warhol painting worth £125,000 and a Bernard Buffet work worth £180,000.

Gallery owner Tony Haynes told the Mirror: “It’s a lovely sculpture which was positioned centre and front of the main window of our London gallery in the Pimlico Road.

“It was almost blatant because there are restaurants and other places nearby. They were stood there for a good half hour waiting for there to be no people.

“It was a forced entry through a glass panel on the front door. It’s heavy but he’s literally forced his way in and gone through little doors to be able to lever it up and carry it out.

“He came in and went left and left immediately. There was nothing else he was looking at. They walked straight past a Warhol worth £125,000. This was very much a targeted theft."

The CCTV showed a suspect wearing a blue top and a baseball cap. He bowed his head as he entered the gallery.

Mr Haynes added: “Interestingly he has gone straight for the door to get out and then he’s returned for the description tag. I think it’s been taken with a client in mind or even stolen to order.

“It had been in the window for three or four weeks but everything we have put in that position has sold.”

“Police reviewed the CCTV and took prints from everywhere that the hands were put and they managed to retrieve hair samples as well.

“There is a partial viewing of the face. There was somebody outside who was keeping watch. A sharp object was used to get through the laminated glass.”

“We would very much like this back. We are not interested in insurance. The next victim is the person who is going to buy it.”

The statue, by artist Tristan Lewis and called “Frankie Dettori riding Stradivarius - Going out at Ascot,” was unveiled before his move to the US.

Met detectives are now investigating.

A police spokesperson said: “Officers were called to an art gallery on Pimlico Road at around 10.15pm on Thursday, 3 October following a business burglary.

“Suspects damaged the front window before stealing a high-value bronze statue. Enquiries remain ongoing and no arrests have been made at this stage.

Any information, please contact 101 quoting 8050 of 3 October.”

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