Artists are devastated after their $60,000 bike-riding bear statue was stolen from a laneway in Melbourne. The statue, known as Sparkly Bear, was taken in a brazen act, with police alleging that three individuals used a crane to lift it onto a truck on Sydney Road in Brunswick before making their escape. The creators of the statue expressed their heartbreak over the theft, describing it as a violent act that has left them feeling deeply saddened. The lifesize brass statue features a bear wearing glasses, dressed in a suit and tie, and riding a tandem bike while holding a guitar. The loss of this beloved artwork has left the community in shock.