A Minnesota man has been arrested and charged after attempting to sell pieces of a stolen F. Scott Fitzgerald statue at a scrap metal yard. The statue, which had been stolen earlier this month from a Saint Paul office building, was cut into pieces before the suspect attempted to offload it.
Dustan Charles Schmitt, 37, of Saint Paul, has been charged with felony receiving stolen property in connection with the theft, according to the Ramsey County Attorney’s Office.
Stolen F. Scott Fitzgerald Recovered by Vigilant Scrap Yard Employee
On February 11, Saint Paul police issued an alert regarding the theft of the statue, which depicted the author of “The Great Gatsby” seated with books in his lap. That same day, an employee from a metal recycling business contacted police after the suspect tried to sell parts of the statue, which had been sawed into pieces.
The employee managed to hold onto some of the parts before Schmitt fled the scene, according to the Saint Paul Police Department. Investigators later recovered additional pieces of the statue from the scrap metal yard.
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Search Warrant Leads to Schmitt’s Arrest
A search warrant was executed at Schmitt’s residence on Thursday, and he was taken into custody by Saint Paul SWAT officers. Authorities recovered a propane tank and blowtorch from a Jeep parked behind Schmitt’s house, along with torch heads in his bedroom, according to the probable cause statement.
It is unclear if Schmitt has legal representation at this time.
Police Chief Praises Recycling Business for Role in Recovery
Saint Paul Police Chief Axel Henry commended the Northern Metal Recycling employee for their quick thinking, which led to the recovery of the statue’s remaining parts. The employee’s actions may have also prevented further metal thefts in the community.
The F. Scott Fitzgerald statue, which was estimated to be worth $25,000, had been a fixture outside the Academy Professional Building in Saint Paul. The building once housed St. Paul Academy, which Fitzgerald attended as a teenager from 1908 to 1911.
A Loss to the Community
Local business owner Ed Conley, who commissioned the statue nearly 20 years ago, expressed hope to one day “resurrect” the statue, which had become an iconic part of the city’s tours.
Conley, who owns CCI Properties, mentioned that Fitzgerald was active in the school’s paper and drama productions during his time there. Conley hopes to bring the statue back for the community to enjoy once again.
Missing Pieces of the Statue
Some pieces of the statue are still missing, and authorities are asking the public to call 651-291-1111 if they have any information regarding their whereabouts.
At the site of the statue’s theft, only part of Fitzgerald’s right hand remains, with sawing or torching believed to have been used to detach the statue from its base.
