Judy Epstein lives on Meadows Drive in Park City. At the bottom of her family’s driveway sits a bronze bear.
“At the bottom of the driveway we have a couple of big rocks and our bronze bear drinking a cup of coffee." Epstein continued, "Has a black coffee mug in his hand, smiling sitting on the rock greeting people as they drive up and down the street. (It) has somewhat become known to everybody in Park City as the house with the bear. It was taken, stolen off this rock. It was bolted to the rock pretty securely but Oliver—who we have affectionately named our bear—was gone.
Oliver the bear was taken between Monday just before Midnight and Tuesday at 2:00 am. Epstein says that Oliver weighs about 70 lbs. and has been a part of the neighborhood for nearly a decade.
“We had this bear designed and we wanted it to be something whimsical and fun for people to see." Epstein explained, "Almost every Christmas, unbeknownst to us who it is, somebody always leaves a pound of coffee right by his cup. We don’t know who does it but somebody every Christmas leave him coffee. Pokémon, I guess is where you get clues and you go to different places. He was apparently on the Pokémon list two years ago. We had people constantly coming, photographing stopping and leaving. People do stop when they drive by and you see them photographing him.”
If Epstein could speak with those who stole the bear she would say to bring the bear back.
“Bring it back no questions asked, I just want it back." Epstein said, "I mean it is very valuable and it is a felony. If I don’t get it back and do nothing and somebody else gets it and reports it to the police it’s a felony.”
