Three Charged After Stolen 'Mother Duck' Statue Recovered in Harrisonburg
HARRISONBURG, Va. — A bronze “Mother Duck” statue stolen from outside the Explore More Discovery Museum in downtown Harrisonburg has been recovered after community tips led investigators to three suspects.
Museum staff reported the statue stolen to the Harrisonburg Police Department on June 30, 2026, saying it had disappeared sometime between June 26 and June 30.
Detectives canvassed the area for businesses with security cameras and collected surveillance footage related to the theft.
Investigators used the footage to determine the statue was stolen during the early morning hours of June 28.
Police also obtained images of three suspects and the vehicle they were driving, then shared the photos on the department’s social media accounts seeking the public’s help in identifying them.
On July 29, investigators received multiple anonymous Tip411 submissions identifying Madeleine Helmick as the woman shown in the surveillance images and Carter Fleming as one of the two men.
Based on the tips, detectives executed a search warrant and recovered the “Mother Duck” statue in a wooded area off Country Club Road.
Helmick, 21, of Harrisonburg, was charged with one count of conspiracy to commit a felony.
Fleming, 22, of Broadway, was charged with one count of grand larceny and one count of conspiracy to commit a felony.
Joel Biller, 24, of Broadway, was charged with one count of grand larceny and one count of conspiracy to commit a felony.