CORAL GABLES, Fla. -- Police said expensive glass art stolen from the Chihuly exhibit at Fairchild Tropical Garden has been found in a vacant lot less than a mile away.

A Coral Gables resident discovered the 7-foot glass reeds, broken and dirty, in the lot Tuesday and contacted police. They are estimated to be worth $80,000.

"We think they're all there," Coral Gables police Detective Peter Cuervo said. "We've counted six heads and some stems that go with those heads. We're missing two heads, but that doesn't necessarily mean that they aren't somewhere in the vicinity of that vacant lot."

As the culprits made off with eight of the 7-foot glass reeds, they replaced them in the art arrangement with plastic PVC pipe poles that had been painted red, according to a report by a Coral Gables police detective. They also switched a framed sign with artist Dale Chihuly's name with a sign that spelled out "Fauxhuly," possibly referring to the PVC piping as faux, or fake, Chihuly.

Fairchild employees noticed the eight pieces missing from the installation of 389 glass reeds during their daily inventory count last Wednesday morning. They said they believe the thieves struck during the stormy night before.

The vermilion, scarlet and garnet glass reeds are part of Chihuly's second showing at Fairchild Tropical Gardens. His colorful, whimsical glass sculptures are strategically placed in and around the gardens.

Bruce Greer, president of Fairchild's board of trustees, said he doesn't believe that the culprits are the same ones who stole two of the red glass reeds in December. Weeks after that theft, an anonymous caller told Fairchild employees where to locate the artwork, hidden behind a fence along Tigertail Avenue. They were returned safely to the exhibit, but the thieves who took them have not been caught.

Police said they fingerprinted the reeds before returning them to Fairchild, but so far have no suspects in the theft.

Greer released a statement about the exhibition shortly after the discovery of the reeds:

"Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden brought the Chihuly exhibition to Miami to be enjoyed by visitors, and more importantly, to help fund tropical plant conservation and research programs. Plants support so many aspects of our daily lives from holding the key to curing disease to providing food and maintaining ecosystems. It is disheartening that someone would undermine such an important cause. Fortunately, the installation continues to be as beautiful and vibrant, and we encourage everyone to see it before it closes on May 31."