$5K Reward Offered After Statue Vandalized At McLean School

MCLEAN, VA—A treasured statue of three llamas at The Potomac School has been vandalized, police say. The unknown suspect remains on the loose.

Police say the unknown vandal struck between the evening of Dec. 21 and the early morning of Dec. 22. The llamas' heads had been broken off and one was stolen. Two of the heads were found on the ground, but the other hasn't yet been recovered, according to a school statement.

The statue, located on the private school's grounds at 1301 Potomac School Road, had been donated in 1970. Artist Una Rawnsley Hanbury, whose grandchildren attended and her daughter taught at the school, made the circle of llamas statue. It had originally been part of a playground and moved to the front of the school after renovations in the early 2000s.

Dr. Marjorie Brennan, chair of Potomac’s Board of Trustees, said in a statement the statue has been a "beloved icon" for generations of students. "On sunny days, it’s not unusual to see students sitting on the llamas, reading or chatting. And when Potomac alumni come back to visit the campus, they almost invariably stop to take a photo with the llamas—often perching their own young children up there for the picture. To see something that holds memories and meaning for so many people senselessly destroyed is heartbreaking," she said.

There are no leads or descriptions of a suspect. The school is offering a $5,000K reward for information leading to an arrest and prosecution. That's in addition to $100-$1,000 offered by Crime Solvers for an arrest.

Anyone with information should call Officer Block at 703-556-7750.

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Image via Fairfax County Police