[MSN] REDLANDS - A Redlands teen was arrested in connection with the theft of several bronze memorial plaques on Friday after a scrap yard employee reported the boy was one of three who tried to sell the plaques as scrap metal.

[MSN]

Teen arrested in theft of bronze memorial plaques
Article Launched:04/05/2008 09:03:34 PM PDT
REDLANDS - A Redlands teen was arrested in connection with the theft of
several bronze memorial plaques on Friday after a scrap yard employee
reported the boy was one of three who tried to sell the plaques as scrap
metal.
According to a press release issued by Redlands police spokesman Carl Baker,
Redlands Police investigators contacted an employee of a Fontana scrap yard
on April 1, while investigating the theft of several bronze plaques.

The release said the employee told police that three teens had attempted to
sell several bronze plaques. The employee refused to buy the plaques and
told the boys he believed they were stolen. The employee identified the
driver of the vehicle, a 17-year-old Redlands boy, to police.

On Wednesday, April 2, investigators contacted the boy at his place of
employment. The boy admitted going to the scrap yard, but denied knowing
about the stolen plaques. He also identified the other two boys, both
17-year-old Highland residents.

After questioning the Redlands boy, police released him and attempted to
contact the other two boys.

On Thursday, April 3, a park employee at Prospect Park discovered a stolen
plaque had been returned to its original site. On Friday morning, a city
employee discovered two more stolen plaques left outside Redlands City Hall.
Those plaques had been taken from Moore Middle School and the A.K. Smiley
Public Library.

According to the press release, investigators arrested the Redlands boy on
Friday, April 4.

Investigators have questioned one of the Highland teens but have not located
the other. They are still investigating their involvement in the thefts.

Investigators searched several locations but have not recovered any more
stolen plaques.

Since January, there have been at least eight thefts of bronze memorial
plaques from schools, parks, Hillside Memorial Park, the A.K. Smiley Public
Library and the San Bernardino County Museum. Police are investigating
whether the teens were involved in any of the other incidents.

Anyone with further information is asked to contact Detective Todd McMeans
or Investigator Frank Rocha at (909) 798-7659 or Redlands Police Dispatch at
(909) 798-7681.

http://www.redlandsdailyfacts.com/

Museum Security Network / Museum Security Consultancy
toncremers at museum-security.org
http://www.museum-security.org 
Handboek Veiligheidszorg Erfgoedbeheerders 
http://www.handboekveiligheidszorgmusea.nl/