Redlands Police continue to investigate the theft of bronze, copper and other metals stolen and sold for scrap.

The most recent thefts involve bronze commemorative plaques at three city parks. Last week, volunteers discovered a 45-pound bronze plaque missing from Caroline Park. The 1 ½-foot-by-2-foot plaque commemorated donors to the 16.8-acre nature park on Sunset Drive.

The plaque is the third stolen from Redlands city parks over the past month, including one in Sylvan Park that explained the history of the Zanja and a larger plaque in Ford Park.

The city’s cost to replace the three plaques is estimated at $4,000. Investigators believe the thieves would be likely to get less than a few hundred dollars for the plaques as scrap.

Investigators have contacted scrap dealers in San Bernardino and other surrounding counties.

As a precaution, the city’s Quality of Life Department removed several other plaques from city parks until a method to safeguard them can be determined.

Anyone witnessing suspicious activity is asked to contact Redlands Police Dispatch at (909) 798-7681 or call 911. Anyone with information on the thefts of bronze commemorative plaques is asked to call Detective Derik Ohlson at (909) 798-7659.

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# posted by Redlands Police Information @ 10:02 AM