FBI sleuths return stolen hyena sculpture to Kenyan couple after five years of searching

Outgoing US ambassador Robert Godec (right) hands over the recovered sculpture to owner Tim Nicklin. [Beverlyne Musili, Standard]

A hyena sculpture stolen from Kenya five years ago was returned to its owners yesterday.

The sculpture was stolen from a private house in Nairobi’s Runda estate in 2013 and was recovered in 2017 after a five-year hunt by the US Federal Bureau of Investigation.

“It feels good to have it back in Kenya because this will send a signal to those involved in this crime that they can’t trade in the art anymore,” said FBI special agent Jake Archer of the Art Crime Team, which helped to trace the piece of art.

He said even though they had not had cases where such art was used in laundering, there were fears that was likely to happen.

The piece depicts a hyena carrying the carcass of a warthog. When it was stolen in January 2013, it was shipped to the US for auctioning.

Four other pieces - depicting elephants - are still missing.

“The art could be in Kenya or the US and we appeal to anyone with information on their whereabouts to volunteer the information to us,” said Mr Archer.

Artist copies

The stolen sculptures - the one recovered yesterday and the ones still missing - belong to Kenyan Tim Nicklin, who kept them as artist copies in his house.

According to Mr Nicklin, 64, someone known to him stole the five sculptures and shipped them to the US.

The recovery was made after an unknown person sent an email to Nicklin with pictures of the art, asking if he was the owner.

“She sent an email with the pictures asking if I knew them or if they were mine. She said the art was at a display for auction,” said Nicklin.

He reported the theft of the sculptures at Runda Police Station several months after they went missing.

Officials alerted

He reported the email to the local police station before Interpol and US Embassy officials were alerted.

According to the FBI agents, the sculpture was intercepted in the US East Coast but no arrest has been made so far.

The sculpture was handed back to Nicklin and his wife Anne at the US Embassy in Nairobi in the presence of outgoing US ambassador Robert Godec.

“The hyena is back! This is so nice for us,” said a smiling Anne as she held the sculpture.

Nicklin said he had been making such art for years. He said he made similar pieces for former presidents Daniel arap Moi and Mwai Kibaki as well as incumbent Uhuru Kenyatta.