After nearly a dozen bronze sidewalk plaques honoring teachers have been stolen in Woodland Hills, local officials on Thursday offered a $25,000 reward to catch the thief who stole the plaques.
During the month of June, 11 Walk of Hearts plaques were torn from their spot along the sidewalk on Victory Boulevard. The plaques honor teachers in recognition of their dedication and the impact they have on their students.
Los Angeles City Councilman Bob Blumenfield initiated the reward for information leading to the identification, arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for stealing the plaques from the ground.
“What happened here is someone thought it was OK to come over and tear up these plaques for a few hundred dollars worth of scrap metal,” Blumenfield said. “They are causing financial damage worth tens of thousands of dollars, and spiritually infinitely more damage to us here in the West San Fernando Valley.”
LAPD Capt. Rudy Lopez said he has called for extra patrols and more surveillance cameras in the area to prevent more thefts.
“There were initially seven reported stolen and the suspect returned several times in the middle of the night with a chisel, a mask and a screwdriver in hand to deface and remove the plaques,” Lopez said.
These types of crimes against public property are becoming more common, with both Lopez and Blumenfield addressing the issue.
“This is a statewide problem. Precious metals are being stolen in the form of wires and metals and dumped at recycling centers for little money, so we are aware of it,” Lopez said. Recycling centers have been notified of the plaques, he said.
The reward flyer showed grainy images of the suspect captured at the time of the crimes and shows him wearing a beanie, a black hoodie with unknown designs on the front and back and carrying a large tan bag.
“I wish there was something one-off, random. We hear this all over the city, where people are stealing copper wire, costing the public tens of thousands of dollars in damage every time they do it, and polluting our streets. It is dark. Plaques from cemeteries, stealing fire hydrants, attacking public infrastructure. And this is a sad, sad example,” Blumenfield said.
