By SHAY WESSOL
Roanoke Times & World News
April 8, 2000
RADFORD - A rhinoceros weighing at least 300 pounds is on the loose
in Radford, snatched away from its elephant companion.
City police believe the beast had some help in escaping and are
looking for both it and the rhino-knappers.
The rhino had been part of the elaborate fountain sitting at the
entrance to Macado's on Norwood Street. The large metal sculpture
features an elephant spraying water from its trunk onto the back
of a rhinoceros.
Assistant manager Ross Weeks said he noticed the absence about
2 a.m. Wednesday as he was leaving the restaurant.
"I thought it might have been taken for cleaning, that the
water had made it all scaly or something," Weeks said. "I
didn't think it was worth waking someone up for at 2 o'clock in
the morning."
He called police later Wednesday. The last time anyone remembers
actually seeing the rhino sculpture was about 5 p.m. Tuesday, and
police speculate it would have taken several people and a large
vehicle to actually move it.
"It's likely a fraternity thing. That's my guess," Weeks
said.
Fraternity prank or not, Capt. Gary Harmon of the Radford Police
Department said investigators would like to know who took the rhino
and where it is being kept. It is worth about $ 5,600 wholesale,
meaning charges for taking it would likely be felonies.
Macado's is offering a reward for information that leads to an
arrest in the case.
Call Kevin Clark at 381-8332 or Brian Turpin at 392-4657. Shay
Wessol can be reached at 381-1665 or shayw@roanoke.com.
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