Historic Plaques Stolen From Long Beach Park: ‘Saddened And Outraged’

LONG BEACH, CA — Historic plaques were stolen from a Long Beach park on Monday, police say.

Officers responded to Martin Luther King Jr. Park shortly after 7 p.m. after getting a report about the stolen plaques, Public Information Officer Eric Stachura said in an email to Patch.

Police are reviewing video footage to try to identify a suspect, Stachura said.

In a statement shared on Facebook, Council Member Suely Saro called the theft of the plaques a “troubling incident.”

“I am deeply saddened and outraged by the theft,” Saro said. “Such acts not only disrespect our shared history but also impact the entire community.”

Saro said she’s committed to having the plaques replaced to preserve “the legacy they represent.”

The theft comes after “the statue at Martin Luther King Jr. Park was defaced with graffiti” in late October, according to Mayor Rex Richardson.

The statue, however, was quickly restored, Richardson said.

“We won’t let negativity define our city,” Richardson wrote. “Long Beach is strong, united, and resilient — and when something tries to bring us down, we rise together.”