Stolen Severiano Ballesteros statue found cut into pieces in Cantabria
Police have arrested a 22-year-old man in La Albericia after a 10-day investigation that traced the monument to a storage unit
Kevin Barquín
Monday, 2 February 2026, 11:05
The Guardia Civil have recovered the stolen statue of Severiano Ballesteros in Cantabria ten days after it was taken, with officers arresting a 22-year-old man in La Albericia, according to El Diario Montañés.
The suspect, a resident of Santander, led officers to the statue after his arrest.
The sculpture of the golf legend, valued at about 30,000 euros, was found broken into several sections in a storage unit. Investigators said it had been cut up and hidden among scrap, apparently ready for sale by weight.
The inquiry began on 19 January after the town hall in Marina de Cudeyo, where Ballesteros was born, reported the disappearance.
With early efforts focused on preventing the bronze from being melted down, police carried out checks at scrapyards across northern Spain as they followed leads on metal theft.
With no pieces missing, it is hoped that the statue can be rebuilt and returned to its original location.
