Stolen Edmonton statue of women's rights pioneer Emily Murphy recovered, man arrested

An Alberta man is facing charges after bits and pieces of a statue depicting a Canadian women's rights pioneer were recovered almost two months after being stolen.

Edmonton police say they learned in February that the life-sized bronze statue of Emily Murphy, along with its plaque, was stolen from the park bearing her namesake. Around the same time, police say they began investigating reports of decorative address plates being stolen from homes in the city's west end.

Investigators say police searched a home in March and later recovered portions of the statue and signs at an Edmonton metal recycler. Earlier this month, a 43-year-old man was arrested and charged with possession of stolen property for the purpose of trafficking and proceeds of crime. Murphy was Alberta's first female judge and one of the so-called Famous Five women behind the 1929 Persons Case.