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Life-Sized Colonel Sanders Statue Stolen Off of Front Porch Returned To 92-Year-Old Woman

A 92-year-old woman in Sacramento County, California has been reunited with her beloved Colonel Sanders statue. It was stolen off of her front porch in Fair Oaks on Monday. Gloria Reyes owned the Colonel for over 40 years, dressing him up for every holiday. Luckily, there was surveillance footage of the robbery that led Sacramento County Police to the perpetrator.

At a Glance

  • 92-year-old Fair Oaks resident Gloria Reyes had the Colonel Sanders statue on her front porch for more than 40 years
  • Someone stole the statue on Monday, August 15th
  • On Wednesday, August 17th, Sacramento County Sheriff’s Deputies found the thief trying to pawn the statue
  • They returned the statue to Reyes safe and sound, but not before having a little fun of their own

Sheriff’s Department Puts the Colonel to Work Before Returning Him

The Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department put the Colonel to work in their offices before taking him home. They posted a photo of the statue behind one of their desks, hard at work, as seen here from CBS News. Clearly, residents love the statue and it’s a staple in the Fair Oaks community.

Gloria Reyes told CBS News out of Sacramento, “I feel happy that the old boy’s back…and that he can keep putting a smile on people’s faces.” It looks like Reyes can now continue to dress the Colonel up for the holidays for many years to come. Now that’s what I call a finger-lickin’ good story.

Other Beloved Statues Stolen in Recent Years

In November 2014, a man in Delhi Township, Michigan, had his 400-pound, solid cement Sasquatch statue stolen from his front yard. “Squatchy” started out as a practical joke by two of his sons, but quickly became part of the family. It became part of their community as well. “He’s a legend around here in the neighborhood,” Ralph Spence told the Cincinnati Enquirer 8 years ago. “They were all shocked. They’re upset about it.”

Luckily, Squatchy was found three days later. Spence got a call from a friend who told him he found the statue just sitting in an open field. Apparently, whoever stole the statue also left a note for the family, commenting on the weight of the statue. “‘Squatchy’ only required two of our members for transport, Sincerely, The Body Building Bandits.” The note concluded with a cheerful “P.S. – Happy Holidays.” It seems like someone in the neighborhood looking to prove their strength took Squatchy for a ride. It looks like a well-meaning practical joke, and the bandits had every intention of returning the statue. Another happy ending.

In similar Sasquatch news from 2020, this time in Santa Cruz, California, police got a call of a suspicious figure in the middle of the road. When they got there, they found a 4-foot-tall Bigfoot statue that had been stolen from a museum in Felton, California.

“He was a little banged up but will be returned to his rightful place at the Bigfoot Discovery Museum,” said the Scotts Valley Police Department on Facebook at the time. Another win for the Sasquatch, and another statue returned home.