A statue of Bitcoin creator Satoshi Nakamoto, located in Lugano, Switzerland, which was presumed stolen for little more than a day, was found on the shore of a nearby lake. The alleged theft even spurred a bounty hunt, with Satoshigallery offering 0.1 BTC to anyone providing directions to its whereabouts.
Grand Theft Satoshi: Bitcoin's Creator Statue Lost and Found in Lugano
WRITTEN BY
SHARE
Satoshi Nakamoto’s Statue Lost and Found in Lugano
One of the works of art inspired by the enigmatic figure of Satoshi Nakamoto, the creator of Bitcoin, was allegedly stolen from its viewing location in Lugano on Saturday when Bitcoin enthusiasts noticed that it had been partially removed from its spot in Lugano’s Villa Ciani.
The statue, unveiled in October by Plan ₿—an initiative founded in collaboration with Tether and the City of Lugano—composed of several sheets of metal, was described as gradually disappearing from view as the observer “changes their perspective,” symbolizing Satoshi’s retreat from the public eye after laying the foundation of a revolutionary financial system.
Since the news of the statue’s theft went viral on social media, several hypotheses emerged regarding the possible whereabouts of the statue. X user Gritto, a local, stated that given it was Swiss National Day and youngsters got drunk in a café near the statue, it should be near or in the lake after they “had fun” with it. “There are cameras everywhere in the city, so I assume they just threw it into the lake before going home,” he stressed.
Satoshigallery, an artistic project led by the statue’s creator, Valentina Picozzi, rang the alarms on social media, offering 0.1 BTC for any help leading to the recovery of the missing statue.
Satoshigallery declared:
You can steal our symbol but you will never be able to steal our souls. We are all in this together and committed to place the statue in 21 places round the world.
On August 3, Satoshigallery thanked the Municipality of Lugano for helping retrieve the statue that was thrown into the nearby lake, just as Gritto had predicted.
Following its recovery, a group of Lugano citizens has launched a petition to restore the artwork in a “new, suitable, and secure location that ensures visibility, appreciation, and protection of the sculpture.”
Read more: Satoshi Nakamoto Statue Revealed at Lugano’s Annual Blockchain Event
