Chatham Police Need Help in Finding Missing Shark

COURTESY PHOTO: RICH BENSON Chatham artist  Rich Benson poses with shark he created.  The sculpture was stolen Thursday night.

COURTESY PHOTO: RICH BENSON
Chatham artist Rich Benson poses with shark he created. The sculpture was stolen Thursday night.

CHATHAM –  Chatham police are on the lookout for a stolen shark – of the art variety.

The sculpture was taken late Thursday night from a field of sharks located on the front lawn of the Eldredge Library in Chatham.

“I heard a noise outside that sounded like one of the rods from the sharks hitting the street and by the time I got out there the shark was gone,” said Janice Rogers, a member of the Chatham Merchants Association Board of Directors.

The display, which includes 43 pieces of “shark art,” is a fundraising effort sponsored by the group.

The swiped shark, created by artist Rich Benson of Chatham, is 5 feet long and about two feet wide and painted in gray.

Benson says he started construction of the shark with the same composite that the other artists started with.

“To make mine realistic I added three two-inch thick layers of high density urethane sign foam and started carving and shaping,” he said in an email.

A specially made shark eye and 30 handmade teeth were also installed in the realistic looking piece of art. “I then applied two coats of marine epoxy to make it completely weatherproof,” Benson said. He did note that it apparently wasn’t theft proof.

“I was really heartbroken this morning when I found it was missing,” he said

Chatham police said anyone with information can call their anonymous tip line at 508-945-8847.

Rogers said they had surveillance video from the scene and had hoped to be able to identify a possible suspect.

“This particular shark was three dimensional, very lifelike, very realistic looking shark,” she said.

 

 

 



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