The Chief Metawampe statue was stolen from its stand near the Student Union around 5 a.m. on Sunday morning. The approximately 500-pound statue was pulled from its stand and then dragged into the roadway of North Pleasant Street. The University of Massachusetts police department is searching for suspects in the vandalism.

“The Chief is okay, but he’s damaged,” said Larry Snyder, associate director of buildings and grounds services at the Physical Plant.

The bronze-coated statue sustained notable damage, including a feather and rifle broken off. UMPD Deputy Chief Patrick Archbald said he was unable to estimate the damage cost or when the statue will be repaired.

“It appears as if a vehicle was involved, but we’re not totally sure if that is the case,” he said.

“There’s evidence of some type of vehicle,” said Snyder. “Possibly, a car drove down the street [North Pleasant Street], up over the curb, backed up Metawampe lawn and put him [Chief Metawampe] in the trunk.”

Snyder said the statue itself stands 5-foot, 8-inches tall and was secured by four bolts on a granite pedestal that is approximately 5 feet tall. The statue normally stands overlooking the Campus pond behind the Student Union in a large patch of rhododendrons on Metawampe Lawn.

“It looks like they knocked him [The Chief] over, picked him up, put him in the back of a trunk and took off and dumped him in the middle of the street,” said Snyder.

“There were thoughts it could be a fraternity prank,” said Archbald. “We don’t have any suspects.”

Due to the statue’s size, Snyder said it would have taken four strong people to lift the statue and put it into the trunk of a vehicle.

“The poor guy is in our [The Physical Plant’s] storage facility until we can fix him,” he said.

Snyder is currently collaborating with members of the Arts Department who have experience working with bronze, hoping to come up with damage estimates and a repair plan.

“Hopefully, we’ll get an estimate on fixing, and fix him to be remounted,” he said.

The Chief Metawampe statue was donated by the Class of 1950 and erected by the Class of 1956, according to Snyder.

According to UMass History Professor Alice Nash, Chief Metawampe symbolizes the University’s relationship with the native peoples who once inhabited the area.