 In 1981, about 30 minutes before the start of April Fools'Day, three men attempted to steal the 250-pound (110 kg) statue, breaking it free from its pedestal and dragging it towards a waiting car before being spotted by a city worker and fleeing the scene. Damage from the incident included a broken right index finger and other cracks. Repairs cost $ 3,000 and were undertaken by Norman Taylor, who also strengthened the sculpture's body and its connections to its base. Kvinneakt was reinstalled at Fifth Avenue and Washington six months later, in October 1981.
