Mermaid abduction

The cover of Yevgeny Zamyatin's A Provincial Tale

A Novel Case of Abduction.

A thief, by some means, got access to the Mermaid, at Mr. Lefevre's exhibition, on the Parade, and whilst Mr. L. was delivering a Lecture on the properties of glass, succeeded in carrying her off; but was detected in passing down stairs, and the fair prize was restored to her home. It is doubted whether the delinquent may not be brought before a very high Tribunal for this offence, as the Maid is stated to be a Ward of Chancery. -- Cork Paper.

Morning Advertiser, 17th January 1824.

I'm not entirely clear about the whole 'ward of chancery' thing, but you can read about it here in Jan Bondeson's book. 
In the same paper on 27th December 1822, they report the entertainments at the Olympic Theatre. "The humourous transformation of a baloon and a salmon into a mermaid, and making it a Ward of Chancery, created the highest mirth."