Marilyn Monroe statue stolen from popular tourist landmark in Hollywood

A small statue of Marilyn Monroe, in her iconic pose from her 1955 hit film "The Seven Year Itch", has been stolen from the top of the Ladies of Hollywood Gazebo, a popular landmark at Hollywood Boulevard.

READ | I Play No One's Girlfriend In 'Good Omens', Says Adria Arjona

The gazebo, created in 1993 and dedicated to the late actor in 1994, celebrates women in films from different cultures who brought a change to the film industry. 

The stainless steel statue was erected at the corner of Hollywood and La Brea in 1994. At the top, Monroe stood on a spire that spelled out “Hollywood.” The statues of Dolores Del Rio, Dorothy Dandridge, Mae West, and Anna May Wong hold up the gazebo while a small statue of Marilyn Monroe is on top of it.

READ | After Being Criticised By Netizens For Sitting On A Buddha Statue, Tahira Kashyap Apologises In An Elaborate Post. Read Here

Located at the corner of Hollywood Boulevard and La Brea Avenue, the statue was reported to be stolen at around 3 am on Monday, according to a media publication.

The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) had initially received a call from a citizen who reported seeing someone on top of the gazebo late Sunday night, but the statue was still there when the police had arrived to investigate. The statue was later discovered to be missing on Monday.

READ | 'Avengers' Dominate MTV Movie & TV Awards 2019

The 25-year-old landmark, a popular tourist and photo attraction along the Hollywood Walk of Fame, has since been swarmed by detectives and forensics experts who are investigating the theft. 

Monroe was an American actress, model, and singer she famous for playing comic "blonde bombshell" characters, she became one of the most popular sex symbols of the 1950s and early 1960s and was emblematic of the era's changing attitudes towards sexuality. Although she was one of the highest paid actresses for only a decade, her films grossed $200 million (equivalent to $2 billion in 2018) by the time of her unexpected death in 1962. Today, more than half a century later, she continues to be a major popular culture icon.