Police arrested a man accused of stealing six bronze plaques honoring service members from a veterans memorial park in Orange County in January.
Tustin police said that overnight on Jan. 20, someone removed six bronze plaques dedicated to service members from Veterans Sports Park. Detectives launched an investigation and identified a suspect.
On Friday, authorities announced that officers arrested Long Beach resident Sean Green on Feb. 5. Investigators suspect him in similar bronze plaque thefts in Huntington Beach, Santa Ana and Orange.
The Orange County District Attorney’s Office charged Green with 10 felony counts of grand theft and 10 felony counts of vandalism.
Police have not recovered the stolen plaques and believe they were recycled before Green’s arrest.
Tustin police wrote in an Instagram post Friday, “For the Tustin community, the theft of these plaques was more than a loss of metal — it was a loss felt at a place dedicated to honor, memory, and sacrifice. Veterans’ Sports Park stands as sacred ground in our city, and we remain committed to protecting the legacy it represents.”
Authorities noted an ongoing trend involving the theft of bronze and other valuable metals. They urge anyone with information about metal thefts or suspicious activity to contact police.
Veterans Sports Park, the largest park in Tustin, spans 31.5 acres at the intersection of Valencia Avenue and Armstrong Avenue. The veterans memorial honors those who served at the former MCAS Tustin or were Tustin residents who served in the military.