Ham-handed thieves who stole 'Pig Rock' left ears behind
GALLATIN — A 300-pound lawn ornament has been pignapped.
Thieves picked a solid concrete hog, affectionately dubbed Pig Rock, out of Bob and Mary Ray Mathis' front yard in Gallatin sometime during the night of Sept. 15.
Police were called to investigate the pigfering at 220 Daleview Drive but couldn't root out any leads.
Bob Mathis isn't sure who stole his wife's ornamental, life-size swine stone, but he is confident it was a group heist.
"The last time we had to move Pig Rock, I called a couple of my big bruiser friends to help out," he said. "It's hard to carry because there isn't really anything on the pig that's easy to hold."
A hoof print and the animal's stone ears were left in the front lawn by the boar burglars.
Mathis said the smooth sides of the heavy swine were probably too slippery for the thieves to handle, causing them to drop the pig, knocking the ears off.
Mary Ray believes teen pranksters may have taken her heavy hog decoration, perched at the bottom of a front-yard flagpole.
"I can't imagine why someone would steal a 300-pound pig for their yard without taking the ears," she said. "We're hoping this is just a high school prank and that the pig just shows up in the yard one morning."
Or, Bob said, perhaps an unpopular teacher will see the stone pig in their front yard some morning.
Pig Rock, partially named after Detroit rock 'n' roller Kid Rock, was a gift to Mary Ray, a pig decor collector of 30 years.
Before moving to Gallatin from their Pennsylvania farmhouse, the Mathises had a collection of more than 150 pig ornaments and knickknacks filling their home.
The collection was downsized for the move to a few of her favorite pieces and Pig Rock.
Besides the pig's sentimental value, Bob said, it made a great pet.
"He didn't eat a lot, not too noisy, and he never left the yard," he said jokingly. "We're holding the ears for ransom."
The Mathises valued the pig at $70. It was made in a business near Fairview, Pa., that pours concrete into molds of assorted ornaments.
Pig Rock was the only one of its kind in Gallatin, Bob said.
Although the couple wants their beloved boar back, there could be one upside to the incident, Bob explained.
"It was hard to mow around. I won't miss that."
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