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Red Wings 'Bobble Head' Bandit Busted, Detroit Police Say

DETROIT (CBS Detroit) - One person has been arrested, suspected of stealing the "bobble head" off a 5-foot-tall statue of Detroit Red Wings goaltender Jimmy Howard.

Detroit Police Chief James Craig said the head was found in Allen Park, where local police were instrumental in helping to solve the case.

"The Bobble Head Bandit ... I like that; it has a nice ring to it," Craig joked with WWJ City Beat Reporter Vickie Thomas. "The Bobble Head Bandit has been busted."

Late Thursday morning, one of four total suspects was in custody.

"Well, whether it's a bobble head or it's a shooting incident, we're about our business...and it was, you know...it was terrible," Craig said. "But we got it back. The bottom line is we got the bobble head back."

According to reports, police suspected a group of white males who posed for pictures with Howard's statue — which is currently on display in Campus Martius Park. Investigators — who've been looking at surveillance footage — said the group removed the head, tossed it in the backseat of a dark-colored Chevy Malibu and drove away.

The first arrest in the case was announced at a groundbreaking for Detroit's Fifth Police Precinct. The suspect's name was not immediately released.

Created by the Detroit-based Parade Company and the Display Group, the Jimmy Howard bobble head is one of several similar statues of sports stars around the city.

One theory floating around is perhaps the decapitator was heartbroken over the Wings loss in the first round of the playoffs. According to a 97.1 The Ticket fan, Pavel Datsuyk's statue got the same treatment about a week ago.

[See what the statue looks like with the head, HERE].

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