Ricky Gervais suspects 'Flanimal Rights' extremists after theft of thousands of books

Alison Flood, guardian.co.uk, Tuesday 2 February 2010

Left - Ricky Gervais. Photograph: Matt Carr/Getty Images

Police are investigating the loss of 12,000 copies of Ricky Gervais's Flanimals books from a delivery truck in the US.

Involving the antics of creatures including the timid Splunge and the ferocious Bletchling, Gervais's first pop-up Flanimals books were en route to an Indiana warehouse belonging to his US publisher, Candlewick, when the truck driver discovered they were missing. The copies of the $19.99 (£12.50) book – which will be released in March – are valued at more than $240,000, and Candlewick told US publishing magazine Publishers Weekly that police were investigating the incident as grand theft.

In a statement issued by Candlewick to the magazine, Gervais showed a sense of humour about the situation. "This is obviously a misguided Flanimal Rights group or an organised gang of eight-year-olds," said the comedian. "Just like the books, the thieves will fold under questioning." The publisher said the theft would not affect availability.

Gervais launched his bestselling Flanimals books, illustrated by Rob Steen, in 2004. Flanimals Pop-Up is the fifth title in the series, after Flanimals, More Flanimals, Flanimals of the Deep and The Day Of The Bletchling