A giant inflatable cricket ball was stolen outside an Indian restaurant late at night.

Bombay Central in Harrow had an inflatable cricket ball stolen from a motorcycle outside its premises on Monday (July 1) between 1.10am and 1.20am, police said.

The ball, branded with the restaurant's logo, is 1.7-metres in diameter.

CCTV footage suggests it was unravelled by an unidentified middle-aged man and carried away in the streets nearby, restaurant owner Rishi Lakhani said.

Mr Lakhani said: “It’s a reasonable amount of effort to remove it. It was fixed by string and mesh wire, it’s not difficult but you need strength and force.

Harrow Times:

"We have no idea who’s done it, but there’s no logic to what happened, the ball was branded!”

The cricket ball was placed outside the restaurant five weeks ago for the Cricket World Cup and has stayed up due to it being popular with passersby and diners.

Harrow Times:

Mr Lakhani believes many customers and community members are as disappointed as he is by the theft and he said many people have been in contact trying to help.

Enquiries are continuing, police said.

Anyone with any information is asked to email the restaurant: hello@thebombaycentral.com