Giant gorilla statue stolen from London hotel

The statue, weighing 160kg, was taken from the Sanctum Soho Hotel.

A six-foot tall fibreglass gorilla has been stolen from a hotel roof in central London.

Two men in high-visibility vests climbed onto the roof of the Sanctum Soho Hotel and unbolted the 160kg statue, known as Ace, before carrying it out of a building site next door at around 9am on November 5, according to witnesses.

Mark Fuller, owner of the five-star hotel near Piccadilly Circus, said: “It’s absolutely as brazen as you like.

The Sanctum Soho Hotel (Sanctum Soho Hotel/PA)

“It’s a dear thing, a real memento to us, and we really, really want it back.”

The statue is reportedly worth more than £20,000 and was installed by crane five years ago, having previously sat outside the Embassy Club in Mayfair.

Mr Fuller, who owns both hotels, realised the gorilla was gone from the rooftop bar when checking the Christmas lights being installed on top of the hotel.

A missing poster (Sanctum Soho Hotel/PA)

A florist working on the Christmas installation told Mr Fuller they saw two men in hard hats and hi-vis jackets removing the statue.

When asked where they were taking it, one of the men allegedly replied: “It’s going in my garden love.”

Builders working next to the hotel said they helped the two men carry the gorilla down to the street through their work site, believing them to be official, Mr Fuller added.

The owner has offered a reward of a week’s stay at the Karma Hotel in Bali, another of his hotels, for Ace’s safe return.

“It’s irreplaceable it’s a piece of history from the Embassy club and my personal history,” Mr Fuller said.

The gorilla’s arm was decorated by renowned tattoo artist Dan Gold. Mr Fuller also shares a tattoo with the statue.

Mr Fuller’s tattoo (Mark Fuller/PA)

“I suppose he’s a bit of a mate now is Ace and we’re missing him,” the hotel owner said.

“We don’t hold grudges and would just appreciate his safe return.”

The hotel has received offers to buy the statue in the past, he added, so he believes the culprit could be a customer who had the statue stolen to order.

(Design photo)

The Metropolitan Police said an allegation of theft from the Warwick Street hotel was reported to them on Saturday November 10 and enquiries continue.

Sanctum Soho Hotel has urged anyone who has seen the gorilla to contact reception on 020 7292 6100.

DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — Investigators believe that the theft of several ancient statues dating back to the Roman era from Syria’s national museum was likely the work of an individual, not an organized gang, officials said Wednesday.

The National Museum of Damascus was closed after the heist was discovered early Monday. The museum had reopened in January as the country recovers from a 14-year civil war and the fall of the 54-year Assad dynasty last year.

On Wednesday, a security vehicle was parked outside the main gate of the museum in central Damascus while security guards stood nearby. People weren't allowed in because of the ongoing investigation.

Two officials from Syria’s Directorate-General for Antiquities and Museums said that progress has been made in the investigation and that results are expected soon. They spoke on condition of anonymity, because they weren't allowed to speak about the details of the investigation to the media.

“God willing we will reach good results,” one of the officials said.

The country’s largest museum houses priceless antiquities. After the civil war started in March 2011, security was improved with metal gates and surveillance cameras, and authorities moved hundreds of artifacts to Damascus from around the country.

The Culture Ministry released a statement late Wednesday with drawings of the six missing statues representing the Roman goddess of Venus. The ministry posted the registration number at the museum of each of the statues of the goddess of love as well as their height, of which the highest is 40½ centimeters (around 16 inches).

The statement urged that whoever has information about the statues come forward and contact the ministry through a telephone number or email address that were provided.

The theft angered Damascus residents who said that such acts tarnish the image of Syria as the country tries to rebuild from a war that left around 500,000 people dead.

“This is not only an aggression on the Syrian state, but an aggression on Syrian civilization,” resident Waddah Khalifeh said when asked about the theft. He expressed fears that the thieves might aim to smuggle the statues and sell them abroad.

On Tuesday, the Directorate-General for Antiquities and Museums said that the theft didn't affect activities at the museum and that the public was visiting the facility as usual.

But an Associated Press journalist who tried to enter the museum on Wednesday was told that all sections, including those that are outdoors, were closed because of the investigation.

The museum reopened on Jan. 8, a month after rebels ousted President Bashar Assad, ushering in a new era for the country. Fearful of looting, the museum had briefly closed after a rebel offensive ended five decades of Assad family rule.

The years of conflict had badly affected areas including the historic central town of Palmyra, once held by the Islamic State group. In 2015, IS members destroyed mausoleums in Palmyra’s UNESCO World Heritage site, which is famous for its 2,000-year-old Roman colonnades, other ruins and priceless artifacts.

"I hope that these pieces will be returned, because this is good for the new Syria,” said another resident, Hussein Abu al-Kheir, referring to post-Assad Syria.

Bassem Mroue reported from Beirut.

People gather outside the National Museum of Syria in Damascus, Wednesday, Nov. 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Omar Sanadiki)

Syrian women walk past a fence of the National Museum of Syria in Damascus, Syria, Wednesday, Nov. 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Omar Sanadiki)

The gate of the entrance of the National Museum of Syria is closed, in Damascus, Wednesday, Nov. 12, 2025. ( (AP Photo/Ghaith Alsayed)