A human-shaped parking sign stolen from outside a Herne Hill school has been returned over three weeks after it was stolen.
Parents at Judith Kerr Primary School (JKPS) were “outraged” to find Sophie had been snatched from outside the school gates, on Tuesday, October 10.
The one-metre tall humanoid cut-out had been instrumental in making the roads safer around the school so parents launched a search.
‘Outrage’ after humanoid no parking sign kidnapped from Herne Hill school
Following a police investigation, the details of which the Met has not shared, Sophie was returned to the school on Thursday, November 2.
Celeste Hicks, one of the parents who’d led the search, said: “Sophie is back! [It’s a] minor miracle. The only damage is that they scratched off the JKPS logo.
“We’re so happy to have Sophie back, especially as it means we don’t have to use precious school resources to replace her. It’s great to know that she can get back to work helping the children to get to school safely, but this time I’ve invested in a lock!”
Sophie is one of three one-metre-tall, humanoid signs that parents bought in June to make the traffic situation safer around the school.
Celeste said some parents had become “scared” to walk their kids to school because parked cars blocked drivers’ sight lines on Half Moon Lane.
Cars parked illegally on yellow lines were also causing vehicles to come “flying around corners”, putting children at risk.
According to Celeste, the traffic situation began to deteriorate once more without Sophie’s presence.
Thankfully, over three weeks after she was reported missing, police have secured the sign’s return.
A Met Police spokesperson said: “The parking sign has now been returned to the school after the Police intervened to get back the stolen property.”