Giant gorilla statue sightings were 'not Gary'

A giant gorilla statue spotted on motorways across England is not the same one that was stolen from a Lanarkshire garden centre.

The 8ft fibreglass ornament, named Gary the Gorilla, was reported stolen from Reynard Nursery in Carluke last month.

On Thursday, owner Andrew Scott was sent photos of a gorilla matching Gary's description tied to a trailer on the M25 and on the M40 near Warwick.

But it was later concluded that this was Gary's "brother".

The manufacturer of the figure has made several versions of the statue and it is believed the sightings were of one of them.

Police were able to track the gorilla's movements using the vehicle's registration plate.

The original Gary statue was reported stolen on Sunday 19 March.

CCTV showed a car arrived at the nursery around 22:30, with the occupants exiting the vehicle and unbolting the ornament.

A van returned nearly two hours later and removed Gary from the premises.

"We saw him disappear into the darkness on that wet night," said Mr Scott. "And we haven't seen him since.

"It seemed to be fairly well planned from the footage we have, but unfortunately we can't see who actually took him."

Gary was used as a signpost to the garden centre. Mr Scott dressed him up for Christmas and other events, and he was seen sporting a face mask during the pandemic.

"He's very popular," he said.

"He's been outside the nursery and garden centre for the last ten years, welcoming people in.

"We sometimes use little welcome signs or happy birthday [signs] or happy mothers day [signs], we have him holding up placards now and again.

"Last year he developed monkey pox so he was covered in red dots as well."

Once the police mapped out the movements of the gorilla spotted on motorways around England, it was determined that the ornament was not Gary.

Mr Scott said: "It moved from London to Whitehaven in Cumbria.

"And unfortunately it's not Gary, it's one of Gary's brothers. So we are a bit disappointed because we were really hoping it was him.

"Gary comes from a fairly extended family, we've yet to decipher how many brothers he has but we are looking into that just so we know.

"I'm pretty convinced we'll get him back. It'll take some time but we've not stopped looking.

"The response from the public was huge so the minute Gary makes an appearance anywhere, I'm sure the public will help us find him and get him back to where he belongs."

Police Scotland said anyone with information should get in contact.