A bronze sculpture honoring world champion boxer Teddy Baldock has been taken from a park in East London.
Surveillance footage reveals four individuals clad entirely in black removing the statue from its base at Langdon Park, Poplar, on Sunday before transporting it away concealed within a cargo bicycle, leaving behind only its boots.
Authorities reported that they received a notification about the statue’s disappearance at 20:00 GMT, noting that the suspects were last observed heading north toward Bromley-by-Bow Underground station.
Teddy Baldock, dubbed the “Pride of Poplar,” made history as Britain’s youngest world boxing champion at just 19 years old when he claimed the bantamweight title in 1927.
His grandson, Martin Sax, who was instrumental in raising funds for the statue, expressed his distress: “I received a call asking if I knew it was gone, and it was confirmed to be true.
“I feel anger and sadness, and I’m uncertain how we might replace it. It’s heartbreaking.
“Raising the money for the statue was a colossal undertaking—it’s disheartening to think it was taken for mere scrap value, which isn’t even substantial.”
Born in Poplar in 1907, Baldock enjoyed a swift ascent in the 1920s, gaining acclaim for his speed, technique, and thrilling fighting style.
After a premature retirement due to injuries, he faced financial hardship and passed away in 1971, largely unrecognized by the public.
Sax noted: “[Teddy Baldock] came from very modest beginnings.
“He began earning from boxing at 14, won the title by 19, and now someone has cut down that statue for what reason?”
The statue was unveiled in Langdon Park in 2014.
Detective Superintendent Oliver Richter, overseeing neighborhood policing in Tower Hamlets, remarked: “We recognize that this is a painful time for our community, especially with a monument to a local legend being disrespected in this manner.
“I want to reassure the public that our officers are diligently working to identify those involved and are exploring every possible lead.
“We urge anyone with information to contact the police.”
