Beloved York Landmark Regains Stolen Award Plaque

In a surprising turn of events, a brass plaque that was stolen from a much-loved city statue in York has been returned to its rightful place. The plaque, which marked an Award for Good Design granted by the Ministry of Housing and Local Government in the 1960s, was taken from the bear sculpture in the Chalfonts neighborhood on November 5th of last year.

However, the plaque reappeared earlier this week, much to the delight of local officials. City of York councillor Stephen Fenton welcomed the return, stating that it was "desperately sad" to see the important piece of local history "ripped away" when the theft occurred. Now, he is thrilled that "someone seems to have done the decent thing and returned it so that it can be put back where it belongs."

The Chalfonts bear statue has long been considered a prominent and much-loved local landmark in York. While the reason for its placement in the residential area is unclear, the councillor described it as a "striking statue" that looked "sad and lonely" after the plaque's disappearance last year. Now, the award-winning design of the surrounding housing estate can be properly commemorated once again.