FBI Returns 25-Year-Old Hyena Sculpture Stolen from Nairobi to its Owner

A 25-year-old piece of rare art stolen from Nairobi six years ago has been returned to its owner by the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) Art Crimes Programme.

The bronze hyena sculpture was handed back to its owner on Wednesday after it was stolen in 2013 from the Nicklin family in Nairobi. It was recovered in the US East Coast four years later.

Speaking when he presided over the handing over, outgoing American ambassador to Kenya Robert Godec hailed the bureau for the efforts it made in the recovery of the expensive cultural artefact.

“The FBI has been able to recover over 15,000 art objects worth $500 million with a conviction of 90 criminals since the Art Crime Unit was established in 2004. I want to congratulate the US and Kenya law enforcement units for recovering this particular piece of art an indication of what we can do when we work together,” Godec said.

Tim Carpenter, the Director of the FBI Art Crime Program, said further investigations are ongoing to ensure that culprits involved are arrested and four more artefacts stolen from the same artist retrieved.

Artist Tim Nicklin, who has 40 years experience in the business, said the artefact was too valuable to attach a price tag to it.

“This is my copy, as a professional artist I am entitled to keep a copy of an art after handing over the original piece to my client. It is even a taboo to sell a copy art leave alone placing a price tag on it.”

“Most of my art work is cast in additions of ten, but this particular one is very special as it is one of two which was specifically commissioned by a client,” he explained.

His wife Ann Nicklin said the piece was an inspiration to her as it was made in 1993 during their honeymoon in the Maasai Mara.