Penguin statue stolen from St. Louis hotel, found in southern Missouri
MADISON COUNTY, Mo. - A giant penguin statue stolen from a St. Louis hotel was recovered Monday in southern Missouri thanks to a GPS tracking device.
The statue, a four-foot orange penguin, was reported missing from a St. Louis hotel's art exhibit on Sunday. The penguin had a GPS tracker installed, and it was pinged in Madison County, nearly 90 miles south of St. Louis.
Madison County Sheriff Nic Adams says his office recovered the penguin safely, identified suspects and forwarded information to St. Louis police.
"At this time, no charges are pending, and the penguin will be returned to its rightful home," said Adams.
A spokesperson for the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department tells FOX 2 the penguin was reported stolen during at least one other occasion last year. In that case, the hotel contacted police in October 2024 to report the penguin statue had been stolen, and it was later found in Gaffney, South Carolina.
This time around, the hotel contacted SLMPD on Sunday to report it was missing and last known to be seen on Sept. 11. Police say GPS records helped pin down the penguin's location near Fredericktown, Missouri.
Police have not made arrests in either case, and no charges have been filed for either theft at this time. The hotel where the penguin was stolen was also not immediately disclosed.
