In Monterey, California, a three-foot-tall bronze statue of Dennis The Menace disappeared on October 25. By October 27, angry city officials were offering a $5,000 reward for the arrest and conviction of the thieves.

The statue was commissioned in 1988 by Menace creator and Monterey resident Hank Ketcham (a Disneyland artist did the actual work). It stood in a city playground that was later named Dennis The Menace Park in its honor. The statue became the icon of the city, a beloved civic symbol.

Dennis The Menace was merely bolted, not welded, to his concrete base, making him easy to unfasten. At 125 pounds, he was relatively light to carry, at least compared to other bronze statues.

On November 6, possibly in response to a tip, Monterey city workers were seen probing the waters of El Estero Lake with paddles and poles in an effort to locate the missing statue. Nothing was found.

Monterey police have reportedly staked out other statues, plaques, and monuments in the city, hoping that the thieves will strike again. But thus far the Menace-nappers have failed to materialize, and no one has offered any explanation as to why the statue was stolen, or by whom.

April 2007: On March 28, 2007, a replacement Dennis the Menace statue -- an exact bronze replica of the original -- was installed. This one will be anchored in concrete.

[11/12/2006]