Reading Lady Statue Damaged, Suspect Sought

The ”Reading Lady” statue in front of Centreville Bank in East Greenwich suffered damage after someone knocked it over last week, police said.

Police now hope the public can help them identify the people in a series of images taken the night of May 25, which is when the statue was knocked over.

East Greenwich Police Det. Brian McManus said that the group of about six people seemed to be walking from the north to the south. They knocked over a planter and a chair in front of Red Stripe as well.

“Out of all of them, only one person did any damage but we’d like to identify them to find out who that guy was,” McManus said.

McManus noted that the group walked for quite some time, suggesting that they’re local.

The responding officer put the statue back in its place on the bench.

“At one time it appeared to have been bolted down to the granite seat, but I was unable to see if anything had been snapped off or broken,” the officer said in a police report.

McManus said that police hope that either they get a tip from the public, or, someone who was part of the group realizes that knocking over public art and private property isn’t just destructive — it’s juvenile — and decides to turn himself or herself in.

“Unfortunately, a little bit of libation can remove common sense,” McManus said.

The statue is of Florence Nightingale, the first nurse. This isn’t the first time that she’s been damaged, either.

Be sure to click through all the photos.

If you have any information, call East Greenwich police at 401-886-8684. Det. Bryan McManus is leading the investigation.