Police arrest alleged Seve Ballesteros statue thief

Spanish authorities have found the missing statue of Seve Ballesteros cut into pieces. 

The life-sized bronze statue commemorating the European great vanished on 20 January. 

It was erected in his hometown of Pedrena in 2009 and captures the moment he celebrated a famous Open Championship victory at St Andrews in 1984. 

Ballesteros is widely regarded as one of the best golfers to have ever played the game. 

He helped Europe win four Ryder Cups as a player and captain and also secured five major championship victories. 

He died of brain cancer in 2011 at the age of 54. 

On 30 January, the Spanish Civil Guard uploaded a video on X which shows the moment they located the €30,000 statue. 

It was discovered in a room in Santander chopped into pieces ready to be sold.

The head and torso were intact, but the arms were broken into several pieces. 

A 22-year-old man with a criminal record for copper theft has also been arrested, police said. 

Watch the video here:

The eldest son of Ballesteros opened up on the situation before the Dubai Desert Classic in an interview with TG. 

Javier Ballesteros, who now works as an agent, told the publication he had no idea why anyone would want to steal it and found out it was nicked on the family WhatsApp. 

"It's definitely sad, it's a homage to him," he told the publication. 

"My dad lived all his career in Pedreña.

"It's a very special place for me and my siblings. I go back there any time I can. 

"I'm actually living or having more time there than in Madrid where I also live. "It's definitely a special place and it's pretty sad that they stole it.

"It's really weird that something thought about stealing. It's not something that you just go walk and say, 'I'm going to steal that statue.' It's someone that has been thinking about it.

"The statue is as big as my dad, which is 184 centimeters. I think it has to be something very heavy. I don't know, maybe a fan wants the statue."