Police in St. Paul say someone stole a brass statue of Olympic champion Suni Lee. The bust wasn't the only thing taken — the thieves also took the rock that had the superstar gymnast's nameplate. Lee was back in St. Paul for the statue's unveiling in 2023 and it has sat at Lake Phalen ever since — until now.

Seexeng Lee also hand-engraved a large rock, which was positioned near the sculpture. It says “Suni” and the “The Pride of the East Side & The Hmong Community.” It went missing at the same time as the sculpture, between Wednesday night and Thursday morning, but was found in Lake Phalen on Thursday.

The theft of a statue of St. Paul’s gold-medal-winning gymnast Suni Lee wasn’t just a crime — it was infuriating, said the city’s Parks and Rec director. Andy Rodriguez was at the ceremony, which was a surprise for Lee,