Stolen 800-pound gorilla statue found

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ORLANDO, Fla., Dec. 26 (UPI) -- Police in Florida said they have recovered an 800-pound bronze gorilla statue stolen last month from a hotel.

Orlando police said the statue, valued at between $5,000 and $8,000, was stolen before Thanksgiving from The Metropolitan Express hotel and was discovered on the doorstep of Giovani Alba, who lives about 4 miles from the hotel at The Towns Of Southgate Complex, WKMG-TV, Orlando, reported Wednesday.

"I came home it scared me, the gorilla on my doorstep" Alba said.

Alba said a friend discovered the gorilla under some brush while walking his dog in the complex and hauled it to his doorstep with help from another friend and a dolly.

Alba said he discovered the state had been stolen when he did an online search for "bronze gorilla" on Christmas Day and found a news article about the theft.

Police said no charges have been filed in the case. They said it will be up to hotel officials to figure out how to transport the gorilla back to the facility.

Hotel officials could not be reached for comment due to the holiday, WKMG said.