Historical plaques at El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historical Monument stolen by scrap metal thieves
LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Historical metal plaques and markers located at El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historical Monument and Chinatown Central Plaza have been stolen by scrap metal thieves.
The thefts happened in the last two weeks, causing damage to public monuments and statues.
More than a century of history surrounds the Pueblo historical monument in Downtown Los Angeles. A place people travel from all over the world to visit. Sadly bandits have nabbed nearly a dozen plaques honoring more than a century of LA history.
"We are sitting in the birthplace of the city of Los Angeles," said Arturo Chavez, the GM of the Pueblo Historical Monument. "We've been hit with a series of bronze plaques that have been stolen here from the area and the kiosk that we are standing in. These plaques were historic plaques that were dedicated to various activities that have happened throughout the years here at Olvera Street."
"I think some the earliest plaques go back to about the 1920s and about every decade every generation of Angelenos added in its own layer of plaques," said Edgar Garcia, the assistant GM of the Pueblo Historical Monument.
Officials who manage this property say even though they have 24 hour security, the bandits have been crafty enough to slip in under the cover of darkness and nab 10 of the plaques over the last two weeks.
"At the end of the day, this is the city's cultural heritage and it belongs to all Angelenos. So to chip away at all of these messages, all of these histories that were given out, really is a loss for the city," Garcia said.
This is the city's cultural heritage and it belongs to all Angelenos.
Garcia says the LAPD has been alerted to the thefts and is investigating who is behind the crimes. He added that each plaque costs thousands to create, and he believes those stealing them are selling them as scrap metal.
"We have reports of plaques also being stolen in other parts of the city - Boyle Heights in Chinatown also alerted that their historic plaza was also hit by the scrap metalists," Garcia said.
