Dear Zoo tour cancelled after truck containing £50,000 worth of props is stolen

The Dear Zoo Live stage show will no longer be touring after thieves nicked its animal props.

The production of the classic children’s book was halted on Saturday during its 35 year anniversary book run.

Earlier that morning a Mercedes van that contained £50,000 worth of props used on the show, including a life-size monkey and frog costumes, a cardboard giraffe, and a 6ft plush snake, was stolen.

The red Mercedes van, which was covered in the iconic lion on the book’s cover, was parked overnight on Cecil Road in Peterborough when it was taken.

A stage manager had left it there because he was staying nearby.

Dear Zoo Live said in a statement: ‘It is with great sadness that we have to report that our truck has been stolen in Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, during the early hours of this morning and contained the entire staging, props and costumes for Dear Zoo Live on Stage!

‘Our show’s devastated producer, Chris Davis, has reported the theft to police and estimates the truck and its entire contents is worth more than £50,000.

‘Chris says that the truck was fitted with a security tracking device which has indicated that it may now be in the Grantham area, in Lincolnshire.’

The tracking device is believed to have been disabled.

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Producer Mr Davis, who confirmed six members of the cast and crew would be let go, added: ‘There’s obviously the financial loss which is huge but also for the actors and staff who’ll lose their livelihoods.

‘Thousands of children will also be heartbroken too.’

Mr Davis said he was overwhelmed with the heartwarming response from the public and added the items would be worthless to the thieves but were ‘priceless’ to the company and children.

Police confirmed they were investigating the theft.

The missing Mercedes van’s number plate is CA67 NLX and anyone with information is asked to contact police.

Dear Zoo Live is a stage production of the 1982 book of the same name by Rod Campbell about a young boy who pens a letter to a zoo and asks to be sent a pet.

It had been touring around the UK.