Thieves stole more than 100 name tags from gravestones at a California cemetery last week, officials said.
The robbery and vandalism occurred early Friday morning at Lincoln Memorial Park in the 16700 block of South Central Avenue in Carson, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. The incident comes after a similar theft occurred at Woodlawn Celestial Gardens in nearby Compton about a week ago.
More than 100 bronze plaques were removed from graves at the mausoleum, as was a large plaque commemorating African-American World War II veterans donated by famed boxer Joe Louis in 1944. . Lincoln Memorial Park is one of the first integrated cemeteries in Los Angeles County.
“It takes a lot of force to get this off,” community activist Aisha Woods told City News Service. She showed her one plaque that was misshapen but not completely removed from the stone.
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The robbery and vandalism occurred at Lincoln Memorial Park in the 16700 block of South Central Avenue in Carson. (Google Maps)
The thieves left their tools next to a large bust of President Lincoln at the Veterans Memorial.
“They tried to take him twice,” Woods said.
In both thefts, the culprits appear to be targeting bronze. Woods said he believes the thieves are pawning the items to resellers or recycling companies.
The thieves apparently used some kind of liquid to remove the patina from the bust and determine the type of metal it was made of.
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A similar incident occurred about a week ago at Woodlawn Celestial Gardens in Compton. (Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department)
Woods said families are now stopping by to replace chipped plaques on their loved ones' graves with tape.
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So far, attempts to get the Department of Veterans Affairs to help with maintenance, such as donating camera security systems, have failed.
“We desperately need the public's help,” Woods said. “We are trying to keep the Lincoln Memorial open Monday through Friday so people can visit their loved ones. Without security, without cameras, there's nothing to visit as it is.”
