Someone stole a purple cow from its familiar grazing spot at South Mercer and Elm streets in Greenville and left its concrete remains strewn along roads in neighboring townships, Greenville-West Salem Township police said.

"She became a landmark," Edith Speir, who owned the 700-pound statue for about a decade, said of the cow.

"Everyone knew the Purple Cow," Mrs. Speir said.

She guessed that at least four people were involved in the "cownapping." People have tried to steal the cow in the past, but were unsuccessful, Mrs. Speir said.

Police, who are urging those with information about the cownapping to come forward, said the cow was stolen late Saturday or early Sunday.

Parts of it were found along Hamburg Road in Hempfield Township, police said.

Most of it -- a headless, legless body, according to Mrs. Speir -- was dumped in a yard on 12th Street in Pymatuning Township, police said.

Mrs. Speir said she drove out to Pymatuning Township to identify the body. She said she called a wrecker to remove the remains from the yard.

The remains were buried on a nearby farm, she said.