Watch the shocking moment two RAF engineers break and steal a Paddington Bear statue during a boozy night out.
Daniel Heath and William Laurence, both 22, each admitted an offence of criminal damage at Reading Magistrates’ Court.
The statue in Newbury, Berkshire, was damaged before being taken shortly after 02:00GMT on 2 March from its public bench.
The pair have been ordered to carry out unpaid work and each pay £2,725 to cover repair costs.
CCTV captures the moment the brazen thieves walked off with the statue
THAMES VALLEY POLICE
District judge Sam Goozee branded Paddington Bear a “beloved cultural icon” as he lamented their actions.
"He represents kindness, tolerance and promotes integration and acceptance in our society," he said.
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The statue was recovered by police
THAMES VALLEY POLICE
"His famous label attached to his duffle coat says 'please look after this bear'.
"On the night of the 2nd of March 2025, your actions were the antithesis of everything Paddington stands for.
"Your actions lacked respect and integrity, two values you should uphold as members of the armed forces."
The CCTV footage shows the pair spending a considerable amount of time trying to rip the statue from its bench, with one even falling over.
The Paddington statue had been split in halfThames Valley Police/Lee Dillon MPThe statue eventually breaks in half before the pair walk off with the severed part.
The judge said the men then took the statue in a taxi back to RAF Odiham and it was later found in the boot of Lawrence’s car.
The defendants’ defence lawyer, Tom Bremer, told the court they were “extremely ashamed about their actions”.
"They are two men who are very different than what we see on the CCTV footage," he said.
Newbury is a significant location for Paddington as it is the home of its creator, Michael Bond.
To mark its significance, the statue was introduced in 2024 as one of 23 placed across the UK as part of the Paddington Visits Trail.
A date for the damaged statues return has yet to be confirmed.
