ORANGE COUNTY, CA — A Long Beach man was arrested for allegedly stealing bronze plaques honoring service members from a veterans memorial park in Orange County in January, authorities said.
The incident was reported Jan. 20, when Tustin police said that six bronze plaques dedicated to service members were stolen from Veterans Sports Park. The investigation the followed yielded a suspect.
On Friday, police announced that Long Beach resident Sean Green was arrested Feb. 5. He’s suspected of similar bronze thefts in Huntington Beach, Santa Ana and Orange, Tustin police said.
While Green was arrested, the stolen plaques were not recovered. Police believe they were recycled prior to his arrest.
The Orange County District Attorney’s Office filed 10 felony counts of grand theft and 10 felony counts of vandalism against Green.
“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,” the Tustin Police Department said in a statement. “Veterans’ Sports Park stands as sacred ground in our city, and we remain committed to protecting the legacy it represents.”