Send this page to someone via email

Police in Kansas City are probing the circumstances surrounding the theft of a giant, inflatable colon that was recovered on Monday, as authorities look to get to the bottom of who took the massive intestinal display.

According to police, the colon, which is used as a teaching tool by the Colon Cancer Coalition at community events, was stolen from the rear end of a pickup truck on Oct. 18.

READ MORE: Why U.S. doctors are warning about the ‘kissing bug’ parasite

The colon, valued at about US$4,000, is used as part of a campaign dubbed “Get Your Rear in Gear,” which hosts several charity walk and run events. The inflatable was set be placed on display for a breast cancer run last weekend before it was stolen.

WATCH: Colorectal cancer is almost always curable when caught early, and with the screening test being easy and painless, deaths from colorectal cancer should be rare.

2:37 The importance of early screening for colorectal cancer The importance of early screening for colorectal cancer

“Why would someone take that?” a Colon Cancer Coalition spokesperson told the Star Tribune. “It’s an educational tool. It has no value to anyone else.”

Story continues below advertisement

Police said the 10-foot tall, 150-pound colon (roughly 3 m, 68 kg) was located in a vacant house Monday afternoon.

BREAKING: WE HAVE RECOVERED THE STOLEN COLON. Thanks to a tip, officers found the giant, inflatable, pilfered intestine in a vacant house in the 7100 block of Virginia. No one in custody yet. Investigation is continuing. #stolencolon pic.twitter.com/QAILIr3G6d — Kansas City Police (@kcpolice) October 29, 2018

“Thanks to a tip, officers found the giant, inflatable, pilfered intestine in a vacant house in the 7100 block of Virginia Ave.,” the police force tweeted. “No one in custody yet. Investigation is continuing.”

READ MORE: These two cancers aren’t detected early enough, and it’s costing Canadian lives

It’s unclear if the culprits used the back door to enter the vacant home.

Meanwhile, University of Kansas Health System said officers “are processing the stolen colon for evidence before returning it to the University of Kansas Cancer Center for storage.”

Here’s hoping officers get to the bottom of the investigation.