The iconic white horse that stood proudly on the White Horse Pike in Lawnside, New Jersey, disappeared last week.
A mystery has surrounded the horse that was a fixture on a busy South Jersey roadway. For decades, the popular stallion perched above Route 30 in a galloping position. The horse is one of the final remnants of a former drive-in theater from half a century ago.
Residents and business owners want to know where it went and when it will come back.
"I came in one day, and it was gone. Hopefully they will fix it and put it back. It's too important to the area," said Home Depot manager Keith Turner.
Lawnside administrator Jay Todd said the borough does not have oversight of the horse, as it's on private property. NBC10.com made multiple calls to Vornado, the property management company, but there was no response.
On Tuesday, Thackray Crane Rental, located along the 2000 block of Byberry Road in Philadelphia, told NBC10 that they removed the statue and placed it in a storage facility due to safety concerns.
Disassembly was noticed last Thursday. Joe Celecki of Magnolia made a stop at the Auto Zone across the street and noticed a crane and workers taking it down.
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Celecki said the horse reminded him of his childhood and the movies. He says neighbors are speculating about what happened to it. Some believe, he said, that recent storms damaged it and the owners don't want to repair it.
The base of the horse was mounted in the parking lot shared by the Petsmart and Home Depot.