The University has failed to identify the perpetrators of the Long Boi statue damage.
The Long Boi duck statue was damaged in November 2024 and removed due to damage to the statue’s legs.
The perpetrators are thought to be a group of University of York students, a campus safety report has revealed.
The Campus safety report said: “The Long Boi campus statue has suffered significant damage overnight. Campus Safety have reviewed the CCTV footage, and have identified what looks to be a group of our own students carrying out the damage.
The damage is such that the statue may not be salvageable and we would like to identify the people involved.”
The statue damage is estimated to cost £2,500. It is not known whether the statue will need to be replaced entirely due to the damage.
Internal campus safety communications reveal that the damage may have been caused by the statue’s legs being snapped or potentially cut with a hacksaw.
The alleged perpetrators were seen heading towards Derwent accommodation and Heslington Hall following the incident. Campus safety believed that the students were from Derwent.
Internal campus safety communications said: “if we can identify the student, I’d love to see them pay damages!”
The investigation into the Long Boi damage closed on 8th December 2024 with the University failing to identify the individuals responsible for the damage.
An email said: “really gutting that we couldn’t identify the students involved.”
A spokesperson for the University said: “We launched an extensive inquiry, but we were unable to identify the perpetrators.
“There’s been lots of anger and sadness about the damage to the iconic statue, as Long Boi brought joy to so many people.
“The damage is still being assessed, but we hope to reinstall the popular piece of artwork on campus soon, so he can once more be enjoyed by his many friends and admirers.”
The statue of the campus famous mallard duck was unveiled on 26th September 2024 by Radio 1’s Greg James at a memorial ceremony at the University of York.
The statue was crafted by wildlife sculptor Neil Mason, following a fundraising campaign that raised over £5,000 for the sculpture.
The University is planning to restore the statue to its original location once repaired and is considering whether additional protection for the statue is needed.