Teddy Baldock Statue Stolen From East London Park

In the heart of East London, a community is reeling after the shocking theft of a beloved monument: the bronze statue of Teddy Baldock, Britain’s youngest ever boxing world champion. On Sunday, February 1, 2026, under the cover of darkness, four suspects made off with the sculpture from Langdon Park in Poplar—leaving behind nothing but the boxer’s boots, a haunting reminder of what once stood there. The statue, valued at around £100,000, was not just a tribute to a local hero but a symbol of pride and perseverance for the people of Poplar.

The theft unfolded with an almost cinematic precision. According to CCTV footage released by the Metropolitan Police and reported by BBC and The Independent, the four suspects, all dressed in black with their faces obscured, arrived at the scene and carefully wiggled the statue free from its stone plinth. With remarkable efficiency and, surprisingly, no visible tools, they lifted the heavy bronze figure and placed it into a three-wheeled cargo bike. To conceal their prize, they threw a high-visibility jacket over it. The suspects were last seen heading northbound toward Bromley-by-Bow Underground station, disappearing into the city’s labyrinth of streets.

Police were alerted to the theft at around 8:00 p.m., and officers arrived promptly to begin their investigation. Detective Superintendent Oliver Richter, who oversees neighborhood policing in Tower Hamlets, addressed the public’s distress, stating, “We understand this is a very distressing time for members of our community to have a monument of a local hero treated this way. I want to assure the public that our officers are working at pace to identify those responsible and will continue to follow every available line of enquiry.” As of February 3, no arrests had been made, but the investigation remains active and ongoing, with officers combing through CCTV footage and appealing for witnesses to come forward. Information can be reported anonymously through Crimestoppers or by contacting police directly.

The theft has left a deep wound in the local community, particularly for those who championed the statue’s creation. Martin Sax, Teddy Baldock’s grandson, was the driving force behind the fundraising campaign that led to the statue’s installation in 2014. He spent years rallying support, eventually raising the £100,000 needed to immortalize his grandfather in bronze. The news of the theft hit him hard. “I’m a mixture of upset and angry,” he told The Times. “It’s an amazing piece of art, and to think that people have stolen it, and all that’s going to happen is it’ll get melted down and they’ll get scrap value for an iconic statue in the center of London of a British sporting hero — it’s very sad really.”

Sax’s frustration is palpable. In a heartfelt message shared on social media, he wrote, “Completely gutted, I have just found out that last night, thieves stole the statue of my Grandfather from where it stood in Poplar, East London. Words cannot describe the anger I have for the people responsible.” He also voiced concern that the statue may already be lost forever, melted down for its metal value—a fate far beneath the legacy it was meant to honor. Yet, he holds out hope that the intense media attention might make the statue “too hot to handle,” discouraging scrap dealers from accepting it and increasing the chances of its recovery.

The statue’s significance extends far beyond its material worth. Teddy Baldock, known as the “Pride of Poplar,” was born in the borough in 1907. He turned professional at the astonishingly young age of 14, quickly making a name for himself with his speed, skill, and showmanship. In 1927, at just 19 years old, he captured the bantamweight world title at the Royal Albert Hall, becoming the youngest British world boxing champion—a record that stands to this day. His career spanned 81 professional fights, including appearances at storied venues like Madison Square Garden. Yet, despite his meteoric rise, Baldock’s story is tinged with tragedy. He retired in his mid-twenties, his body worn down by the sport, and later succumbed to poverty, passing away at age 63 in 1971 with little public recognition.

The unveiling of the statue in 2014 marked a long-overdue celebration of Baldock’s achievements and a reclamation of his legacy for the community that nurtured him. As Sax recounted, he only learned of his grandfather’s storied past after discovering old scrapbooks. “When he fought at the Albert Hall they said 12 buses left the East End full of people. It was sold out,” he told The Times. The statue became a gathering point, a source of local pride, and a tangible connection to Poplar’s rich sporting history.

The theft has prompted an outpouring of support and outrage from residents and local officials alike. A spokesperson for Tower Hamlets Council emphasized the statue’s importance, saying, “We are shocked to hear of the theft of the Teddy Baldock statue from Langdon Park. The ‘Pride of Poplar’ statue is an important part of the borough’s history and means a lot to our community. We are reviewing our CCTV as part of the police investigation in the hope that we can find the statue and catch the culprits.” The council’s commitment to aiding the investigation has been echoed in calls for vigilance and cooperation from the public.

For many, the manner in which the statue was stolen only adds insult to injury. The suspects’ decision to leave behind the boots—once firmly planted on the plinth—has become a stark symbol of loss. “He started making money from boxing age 14, he won the title at 19 and people have gone and cut that statue down for what?” Sax lamented to BBC. The act, he noted, seemed motivated by nothing more than the hope of a quick payday from scrap metal, with no regard for the cultural and emotional value of the monument.

The investigation remains at a critical juncture. Police continue to analyze CCTV footage and follow up on every lead, while community members hope that the statue will be recovered before it can be irreparably damaged. Detective Superintendent Richter reiterated the urgency, stating, “We’d appeal to anyone with information to get in touch with police.” The message is clear: the community will not rest until justice is served and their hero’s memory is restored.

As the search for the statue continues, the people of Poplar are left to grapple with the void left by its absence. Yet, the resilience and unity shown in the wake of this crime reflect the very spirit that Teddy Baldock embodied—a spirit that endures, even in the face of adversity.