Henry Moore sculpture worth $770,000 stolen for scrap metal?

A stolen sculpture by British artist Henry Moore valued at $770,000 could end up being sold for scrap, officials have speculated.

The 22-inch bronze sundial from 1965 was taken this week from the Henry Moore Foundation, the sculpture’s former home-turned-museum in Hertfordshire near London.

This is the second time a Moore sculpture has been lifted from the 72-acre property: In 2005 thieves used a crane to steal the 12-foot bronze statue “Reclining Figure,” worth an estimated $4.5 million.

After an international hunt, police in 2009 determined the piece was likely melted down and sold abroad for as little as $2,300.

Richard Calvocoressi, director of the Henry Moore Foundation, said that the organization takes the “care of Henry Moore’s sculptures extremely seriously and have installed heightened security measures here in recent years.

“We would be grateful if anyone with information would contact the police,” he added.

Moore, who died in 1986, is considered one of Britain’s greatest sculptors and is known for his many public landscape-inspired sculptures.

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