A 2.4m gorilla statue was stolen from a garden centre in Scotland in March, prompting its owner to harness the power of social media to get back the beloved mascot.

Gary the gorilla has been a popular, permanent fixture at Reynard Nursery near the small town of Carluke, about 37km from the port city of Glasgow, for the last 10 years.

Owner Andrew Scott said the fibreglass statue was stolen between the hours of 10.30pm and midnight on March 19.

CCTV footage showed a group of people arriving in a car and unbolting Gary. A van returned nearly two hours later and removed the gorilla from the premise, British media reported.

“We saw him disappear into the darkness on that wet night,” broadcaster BBC quoted Mr Scott as saying. “And we haven’t seen him since.”

The police have been notified, but Mr Scott has also started a social media campaign to publicise Gary’s abduction – complete with the hashtag #BringGaryHome – hoping that with more eyes, the statue of the primate can be found soon.

While Gary is still missing, news of his disappearance has gained traction, with schoolchildren and local residents taking to social media to create awareness.

It has even resulted in some false sightings. In recent days, Gary was allegedly spotted near Warwick, England, some 485km away, tied up on the back of a pickup truck.

Based on the statue’s movements using the vehicle’s registration plate, police concluded it was not Gary.

“Unfortunately it’s not Gary, it’s one of Gary’s brothers. So we are a bit disappointed because we were really hoping it was him,” Mr Scott told the BBC.

Still, fans of Gary hoped the possible sighting would see his return to the nursery soon.

“Poor Gary. I hope he’s OK and back home soon,” said Ms Margaret Carr on Facebook.

Ms Karen Reid meanwhile wondered how the thieves managed to cart away a giant sculpture.

“Gary is huge... Come on everyone, let’s get sharing and help find big Gary. We will all miss seeing him as we drive by,” she said.

Previously, staff at the nursery will dress Gary up every now and then. He has been pictured with a Santa hat during Christmas and has worn a face mask during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Last year, he “developed” monkeypox and was covered in red dots as well, according to Mr Scott.