A bust of the controversial poet Hans Hyldbakk in Surnadal, Norway, has been stolen after it was sawed off with an angle grinder. The police are treating the incident as possible theft and are currently securing evidence at the scene. The local municipality had previously decided to remove the bust due to allegations of misconduct against Hyldbakk but had not yet acted on this decision when the theft occurred. This bust has faced vandalism several times before, highlighting the contentious legacy of Hyldbakk in the community.

The police confirmed that the theft took place overnight when an individual used an angle grinder to detach the statue from its base. Renate Olin Solheim Lysvik, a leader within the Møre and Romsdal police district, stated that they suspect theft but are unsure whether it was motivated by profit or if the bust has been discarded elsewhere. Investigations are still in the preliminary stages, and the authorities are attempting to piece together the circumstances that led to this incident.

This event raises questions about how communities deal with public monuments linked to controversial figures. The case of Hans Hyldbakk underscores the ongoing debate about commemoration and the implications of removing or vandalizing such statues. As the investigation unfolds, the local response to the theft and the future of the bust will be closely watched, reflecting broader societal attitudes towards historical figures and their legacies.