Thieves steal 'beautiful' one-tonne boulder from forest

'Folks often stopped and admired its beauty and even took others there to share this unique boulder,' say officials

The 'beautiful' Wizard Rock was stolen earlier this month (Prescott National Forest)

A “beautiful” one-tonne boulder has been stolen from a protected forest in Arizona.

The cherished chunk of stone, dubbed “Wizard Rock” by locals, was taken from the Prescott National Forest earlier this month.

Rangers said the boulder, recognisable for the streaks of white quartz which run through it, was “special to the community”.

“Folks often stopped and admired its beauty and even took others there to share this unique boulder,” said the US National Forest Service’s Prescott office.

The rock was reported missing by locals two weeks ago.

District ranger Sarah Clawson added: “It’s unfortunate when we lose a treasure such as the Wizard Rock. Our hope is that it will be returned to us, and these recent recurring events will become an educational opportunity.”

It is not the first time a beloved boulder has been taken from the forest.

In 2009, forest officials appealed for help locating an 80lb heart-shaped rock from land near to Arizona’s Granite Mountain.

The culprit returned the stone after reading newspaper coverage of the theft and said they had not realised it meant so much to locals.

Officials said there had been two incidents in the last four months of boulders being stolen from the forest. The thieves are believed to have used heavy-lifting equipment as the rocks which went missing weighed approximately 750lb to 2,000lb.

The removal of minerals from national forests without a permit is illegal and can be punished with fines of up to $5,000 (£3,900) and jail sentences of up to six months.

“These boulders belong to the public, and should be enjoyed by locals and visitors for years to come," said Ms Clawson.