Reward offered for return of life-size bull statue stolen in Edina

Eduardo, a life-size stainless steel bull, greeted visitors to the District Edina — at least until last week.

That’s when somebody cut the lock and heavy metal chain holding the 300-pound statue in place outside the business at 7777 Washington Av. and made off with it.

“Somebody abducted my beloved mascot,” said owner Gregory Rich. “Somebody stole him to display somewhere. Somebody wanted him.”

Rich bought the bull made of stainless steel tubing a few years ago to have a “statement piece” outside his building near the I-494/Hwy. 169 interchange. Visitors would stop and pose for pictures and post them on social media, Rich said.

“It made people happy,” Rich said. Now, “he’s gone.”

Rich said the statue, if sold for scrap metal, would net only about $100. He’s offering $2,500 for Eduardo’s safe return, “and $5,000 if it makes somebody go to jail.”

Rich thinks somebody loaded Eduardo onto a flatbed last weekend and drove off with him. Tire tracks were found nearby, he said.

Edina police learned of the “unique” theft Monday afternoon and said they are “actively investigating” the bull’s disappearance, according to spokeswoman Lauren Siebenaler.

In February, a man was arrested and charged with stealing a bronze statue of novelist and essayist F. Scott Fitzgerald from outside a a professional building in the Summit-University neighborhood.