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Piece of an ArtPrize entry stolen from artist who is battling cancer

Jon and Don Krauss built football players out of used car parts for their ArtPrize entry. On Sunday, they noticed one of the players was gone. It has since been returned. 

UPDATE: The piece has since been returned to the rightful owners.

Jon and Don Krauss are brothers who collaborated on their ArtPrize entry called Go Green, which was on display at Peppinos in downtown Grand Rapids. The piece features football players that are made out of used car parts. Each one is 18-24 inches tall.

On Saturday night, the brothers were at Peppinos watching the MSU vs. Michigan game. When they returned to the restaurant on Sunday, something didn't seem right.

Jon and Don Krauss counted the players, and one was missing.

When the pair were making the players, they made one with Jon's name and one with Don's name. It was Jon's player that was stolen, according to the artists.

"It was devastating," said Jon Krauss.

This particular player was special to Jon Krauss because it was symbolic for him and his fight with cancer. Jon has been battling terminal cancer for one and a half years. The figure that was stolen has his right hand in a fist, and Jon Krauss connected with that. "It's been a tough battle," he said.

Jon Krauss said that after ArtPrize, they were going to sell the players. But he wasn't going to sell that one.

"I want to get to the bottom of who has got him and get him back home," he said.

The Krauss brothers filed a police report with the Grand Rapids Police Department, but they really just want the player to be brought back.

"We are asking the person to be human and just bring it back," said Jon Krauss.

This was Jon's second year participating in ArtPrize and Don's third year. "It's been a lot of fun, and ArtPrize is really cool," he said. "That's been an awesome experience. Unfortunately, it had to end this way."

  Don Krauss holding some players from the Go Green ArtPrize entry. 

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