Teak Elephant Spirited Away in Newport Beach

A one-ton, 6-foot-high elephant was stolen in the middle of the night from a Thai restaurant, the owners said Monday. The mystery is how.

The solid teak elephant simply disappeared from in front of the Royal Thai restaurant on West Coast Highway, restaurant owner Sam Tila said. All that remained were the chains used to secure the elephant which had been sawed through.

But how the thieves moved the behemoth, which required a forklift to deliver 10 years ago, neither Tila nor the police could explain.

The theft apparently happened at about 2:30 a.m. Friday, when Tila received a call from American Alarm Systems, which provides security for the restaurant.

Newport Beach police had responded to an alarm at the restaurant and had reported back to the security company. The company, in turn, “told me someone had broken into the statue,” Tila said. “I just figured it was damaged and I’d take care of it in the morning,” he said.

But when he arrived at work at 9 a.m., he found an empty platform.

“Maybe someone thought it would look nice in their living room,” Tila said.

Tila said he bought the carving from a gift shop aboard the Queen Mary cruise ship about 10 years ago for $4,000. He has no idea how much the elephant is worth today, but it has considerable sentimental value for him and his staff, he said.

“We have had him since we opened the restaurant,” Tila said. “One of my workers is still crying, because it is like he is part of our family.”

Nor does Tila know yet if his insurance company will cover the loss, especially because about five months ago, the elephant was moved from inside the restaurant to a flower-bedecked platform in front of it.

Although police said they are investigating the theft, they offered no details.

“I just want people to help us find him,” Tila said. “Someone must have seen something.”