Airport statue serves as a 'prickly' replacement

PORTLAND, Maine — A prickly steel-and-nails sculpture of a mama porcupine and its baby has replaced a statue that was stolen from an airport in Maine.

Thieves beware: As a security measure, the new porcupines at the Portland International Jetport are firmly affixed to a large granite slab.

A woman from nearby Pownal donated the new porcupines to replace a statute reported missing in April.

The only clues left by thieves were some broken quills and a hunk of rusty steel. Unknown devotees launched a Twitter account that dug in Friday, saying the new porcupines are "a lil' prickly, but you'll learn to love 'em."

Police still have no idea who stole the original sculpture, which was part of an installation of steel woodland creatures by New York artist Wendy Klemperer.

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