The statue of Br'er Rabbit is on its way home, but it will have to take a detour for some repairs.
Putnam County Sheriff Howard R. Sills said he recovered the statue around 3:30 p.m. Monday in a wooded area off Ga. 16, about five miles east of Eatonton. The pipe that the rabbit had been holding was broken off, as was the left ear.
The Uncle Remus Museum staff in Eatonton has found an "iron veterinarian" and Sills will take the statue to the facility for repairs.
"We are certain Br'er Rabbit will soon be able to return to his perch in front of the museum in better condition than he was prior to his abduction," the sheriff said.
The 3-foot statue, which weighs about 250 pounds, was stolen from the grounds of the museum Aug. 7.
Authorities expect to arrest four suspects later this week on charges of theft by taking, Sills said.
"It appears the incident started as a prank, but went awry after the statue was damaged," he said.
Georgia author Joel Chandler Harris wrote his famous series of Uncle Remus stories featuring Br'er Rabbit and other animal characters in the 1870s.
--Staff writer George Mathis contributed to this article.
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