NORTHAMPTON — A Westhampton man is being charged for allegedly vandalizing a Main Street statue last summer.
Northampton Police announced Tuesday that the 32-year-old man, whose name was not released, will be charged with vandalism.
“Whoo, whoo vandalized the owl statue on Main Street in June, 2017? The answer is a 32 year old male from Westhampton,” Northampton Police posted on its Facebook page. “Some cases take time and thanks to the persistence of Detective Jared LaValle, the case of the vandalized owl has been solved. A single charge of vandalism has been filed with Northampton District Court.”
The bronze owl sculpture, dubbed “The Queen of Main Street,” was broken off its perch at the legs on the night of June 18. A man reported the incident to police around 9:45 p.m. and told officers he saw another man push over the owl and then get into a vehicle.
The statue made its debut in September 2012 — the one-year anniversary of longtime Northampton businesswoman Eva Trager’s death. The statue pays tribute to Trager’s legacy and also honors those who helped contribute to the revitalization of Northampton with plaques that are installed biennially.
The owl was restored to its Main Street perch about two months after it was knocked off. It cost around $1,500 to put the owl back in its place and repairs were paid for by the Eva Trager Memorial Fund.
The statue’s creator, sculptor Gregory Stone, died in September 2016. A fellow sculptor and a friend of Stone’s, David Boyajian, worked with restoration artist Steve Roy to complete the repair.
Emily Cutts can be reached at ecutts@gazettenet.com.