A $4,000 inflatable colon has been stolen, and people want answers

A $4,000 inflatable colon was stolen and absolutely no one knows why, or who stole it.

The colon was stolen from the University of Kansas Cancer Center off the back of a pick up truck in Kansas City, Kansas on October 19, the Wichita Eagle reports.

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The colon itself doesn't look like much more than a salmon-colored tunnel, but it's importance stems from its use as a teaching tool. And as luck would have it, the colon was actually en route to a walk/run event on Saturday to educate people about colon cancer when it was stolen.

“Colorectal cancer screening is the most powerful weapon we have against colorectal cancer,” John Ashcraft, DO, surgical oncologist at The University of Kansas Cancer Center said in a statement to the Eagle. “Colon cancer is a tough subject for many to talk about and the giant, 150-pound, ten-foot-long inflatable colon is a great conversation starter.”

The cancer center set out to raise funds for a new colon, but luckily they were able to locate the colon within 10 days of it being reported as missing.

The colon was recovered in a vacant home on Monday, thanks to a tip given to the authorities, reported Fox 4 News. The thief of the colon, however, is still at large.

UPDATE: Nov. 1, 2018, 11:45 a.m. EDT Updated to include information about the colon's recovery.