Man arrested after Native American statue stolen, damaged

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) – Kansas City police say a 56-year-old man is facing charges after a statue of a Native American woman was stolen and cut into pieces.

Clay County authorities charged Charles Fuentes Friday with receiving stolen property in connection to the case. Earlier this week, the 400-pound, 7-foot-tall statue was sheared from its bolts where it stood as part of a fountain in northern Kansas City.

Police said Friday the public helped detectives recover a large section of the statue but it had already been cut up.

The statue was one of several at the fountain, which honors American Indians and French trader Francois Chouteau for their roles in founding Kansas City.