LA County officials offer $20k reward for information on cemetery vandalism

Los Angeles County officials are offering a $20,000 reward for information that leads to the conviction of those responsible for a series of vandalisms at local cemeteries, where bronze plaques and memorial markers were stolen. 

The crimes date back to early January, when the Woodlawn Celestial Gardens cemetery in Carson was hit by thieves who stole dozens of plaques and destroyed headstones in the process. 

Supervisor Holly Mitchell introduced the motion to request the reward, calling on the history of the cemeteries being targeted. 

"The cemetery includes numerous prominent figures and many local military veterans going as far back as the Civil War and the Spanish-American War," said Mitchell's motion. "The property owner estimates the financial loss to be in the hundreds of thousands of dollars."

Related: 3 arrested in connection with plaque thefts in San Pedro

Weeks later, Lincoln Memorial Park was targeted by vandals, who ripped bronze markers and plaques from headstones and mausoleum walls on Jan. 12. 

"A prominent bronze statue of President Abraham Lincoln that was dedicated in 1934 was damaged in an attempt to remove a plaque from the facade of the statue," the motion said. "Additionally, a large bronze plaque that was gifted and dedicated to the cemetery in 1949 by former World Heavyweight Boxing Champion Joe Louis to commemorate and honor local veterans who died in combat had also been removed and stolen."

They estimate that the damage from the heist cost more than $2 million. 

Los Angeles County has been inundated with precious metal theft in recent months, with places like San Pedro, Bruce's Beach and even the city streets of Pasadena being severely impacted by the crimes. 

Anyone with further information is urged to contact detectives in Compton at (310) 605-6500 or Carson at (310) 830-1123.