Historic cast iron statue stolen from Toothdale shed, near Wolumla

The valuable hand printing press, owned by Richard Jermyn of Eden has been stored in Laura Lanham's shed in Toothdale, near Wolumla ready for transportation to Penrith where printing press enthusiasts at the museum were eagerly awating its arrival.

The eagle statue is a counterweight that sits on the top of the complex piece of machinery; its position determines the level of pressure needed to pull the handle and hand print a page.

But sometime before Christmas, possible 14 or 15 December the statue was removed from Ms Lanham's shed.

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Weighing 70 pounds (31kg) and about 14inches by 20 inches in width and height, the statue had been removed from the rest of the press by Mr Jermyn, prior to its move to the Toothdale shed. The printing press was situated inside the shed while the statue was placed behind it, some metres away.

He planned to re-attach it ready for transportation to the Penrith museum but discovered it missing in January 2023 with just days to go before the van was due to arrive to collect it.

"I was stunned; I can't believe that something like that could happen," Mr Jermyn said.

Manufactured in Scotland in about 1840 and known as the Columbian Printing Press, there are fewer than 300 remaining in the world and each one is known, Mr Jermyn said.

"I bought this one about eight years ago and had a lot of work done on it including by a world-class blacksmith in Yackandandah, so that it was in working order," he said.

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"This press originally came from Ipswich, Queensland and would have printed the Ipswich newspaper. When it is back together it is all in full working order," he said.

Ms Lanham said she was "so hurt that this has happened to Richard".

The dirt road to the property only goes to Ms Lanham's home and shed.

Mr Jermyn said the theft threw a whole program at Penrith into jeopardy because not only was the printing press to be displayed but he had been asked to run workshops on the printing press because of his knowledge.

Mr Jermyn said he had informed the police.

Do you know something about this missing statue? Contact Crimestoppers on 1800 333 000.

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