Giraffe’s head goes missing in Boulder City

Local art lovers and Boulder City police are seeking the public's help to crack the case of the giraffe that lost its head.

Sometime in the past few weeks, a vandal cut the head off the 18-foot-tall metal giraffe sculpture at Reflection Center park in Boulder City.

The giraffe with its tongue sticking out was put up in 2008 as a memorial to Southern Nevada artist John Stockman, who helped create the park.

"It's kind of a whimsical piece," said Don Trippy, who designed the sculpture and helped build it with several other artists. "We did it in John's style, of course."

The metal head has doorknobs for horns, yellow rubber balls for eyes and bottle caps for pupils: Miller Genuine Draft, Stockman's brand of choice, Trippy said.

The sculpture, titled "Girafficus Stockmanus," is one of several works on display at the small park on Railroad Avenue at Colorado Street. The city maintains the park's landscaping, but the sculptures are placed and maintained by a private group.

Longtime Parks and Recreation Director Roger Hall said the city filed a police report after the head was discovered missing a few weeks ago. Trippy also reported the theft. "It was sure a shock to see that head gone," he said.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Boulder City Police Department at 293-9224.

Boulder City artist Lynne Jordan suspects a young prankster might be to blame. She is hoping the thief's parents or friends will be sufficiently moved by the story behind the giraffe to see that the head is returned.

"It hurt when it was vandalized," she said of the tall tribute to Stockman. "I'm sure the head is probably in someone's trophy room."