SCRANTON, Pa. -- The search is on for the art vandals who wrecked a massive metal sculpture in Scranton.
The giant sphere was ripped from its base along the Lackawanna River Heritage Trail near Olive Street and found down a ditch.
The sculpture was installed back in May as part of the International Conference on Contemporary Cast Iron Art.
"The amount of labor that it took to create that work and to bring it here and to make all of this happen it just sort of undermines it in a really devastating way," said Nikki Moser, co-founder of Keystone Iron Works.
The five-foot cast-iron sphere weighs about 1,000 pounds.
Sometime in the past few days, it was pushed from its base and rolled 100 yards down the trail, then down a steep embankment.
"I was a little confused. At first, I thought maybe someone had stolen it which maybe would be better," said artist Vaughn Randall of Ithaca, New York.
Randall says this artwork took a year to create. He had just sold it to a buyer in Minnesota. When he came to load it up, he couldn't find it at first.
"Disappointment, you know? That people would disrespect art and not even know or care how much effort went into creating not just that piece but every piece on this trail, it's an enormous amount of time," explained Randall. "I'm pretty sure the client doesn't want a sculpture that was thrown into a ditch so probably the sale's a wash."
The sculpture is cracked now in several places. Randall may not be able to repair it.
However, there's hope that those responsible for the damage will be caught.
Moser added, "It's here to be used and to be enjoyed, but also our hope was the community would jump in and help care for it too so this was really sad."
Despite what's happened, people we spoke with say they'll continue to work to keep art on this trail for people to enjoy.
Workers with MJ Spott Construction donated their time and a crane to pull the sculpture out of the ditch. It was placed in a truck and taken to a studio to be repaired.
Anyone with information on the vandalism is asked to call police in Scranton.