Giant gorilla statue sightings were 'not Gary'

A elephantine gorilla statue spotted connected motorways crossed England is not the aforesaid 1 that was stolen from a Lanarkshire plot centre.

On Thursday, proprietor Andrew Scott was sent photos of a gorilla matching Gary's statement tied to a trailer connected the M25 and connected the M40 adjacent Warwick.

But it was aboriginal concluded that this was Gary's "brother".

Police were capable to way the gorilla's movements utilizing the vehicle's registration plate.

The archetypal Gary statue was reported stolen connected Sunday 19 March.

CCTV showed a car arrived astatine the nursery astir 22:30, with the occupants exiting the conveyance and unbolting the ornament.

A van returned astir 2 hours aboriginal and removed Gary from the premises.

"We saw him vanish into the acheronian connected that bedewed night," said Mr Scott. "And we haven't seen him since.

"It seemed to beryllium reasonably good planned from the footage we have, but unluckily we can't spot who really took him."

Gary was utilized arsenic a signpost to the plot centre. Mr Scott dressed him up for Christmas and different events, and helium was seen sporting a look disguise during the pandemic.

"He's precise popular," helium said.

"He's been extracurricular the nursery and plot centre for the past 10 years, welcoming radical in.

"We sometimes usage small invited signs oregon blessed day [signs] oregon blessed mothers time [signs], we person him holding up placards present and again.

"Last twelvemonth helium developed monkey pox truthful helium was covered successful reddish dots arsenic well."

Once the constabulary mapped retired the movements of the gorilla spotted connected motorways astir England, it was determined that the ornament was not Gary.

Mr Scott said: "It moved from London to Whitehaven successful Cumbria.

"And unluckily it's not Gary, it's 1 of Gary's brothers. So we are a spot disappointed due to the fact that we were truly hoping it was him.

"Gary comes from a reasonably extended family, we've yet to decipher however galore brothers helium has but we are looking into that conscionable truthful we know.

"I'm beauteous convinced we'll get him back. It'll instrumentality immoderate clip but we've not stopped looking.

"The effect from the nationalist was immense truthful the infinitesimal Gary makes an quality anywhere, I'm definite the nationalist volition assistance america find him and get him backmost to wherever helium belongs."

Police Scotland said anyone with accusation should get successful contact.