Mini-Mozart heist blights anniversary tribute as thieves make off with 210 statuettes

SALZBURG, Austria (AP) — Over 200 gold statuettes of Mozart vanished from his hometown of Salzburg, officials reported on Wednesday, diminishing a tribute to the composer on his 270th birthday. The Mozarteum Foundation unveiled 320 polymer figures depicting Mozart with his dog, designed by artist Ottmar Hörl, on July 15. Within two weeks, more than 80 of the miniature statues went missing, leaving a total of 210 gone as of Wednesday.

Hörl expressed disappointment, stating that the theft was "organized" rather than visitor theft. The stolen statues were intended for sale after the exhibition. The foundation had placed spare statuettes to mitigate potential theft, but the losses exceeded available replacements. The exhibition, now more spread out, is set to continue until August 30.

Hörl, familiar with artwork theft, noted that public spaces inherently carry a risk of such incidents.