Two years after thieves stole hundreds of bronze name plaques from cemeteries in the Compton and Carson area, still no suspects have been identified.
With no progress in the investigation, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Tuesday renewed and increased reward offers for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible.
In January 20205, vandals struck Lincoln Memorial Park in Carson and Woodlawn Celestial Gardens cemetery in Compton, ripping off hundreds of bronze name plates off the mausoleum.
At the Carson cemetery, where thousads of African American veterans were laid to rest, a 1944 bronze plaque dedicated by heavyweight champion Joe Louis to honor the World War II Black soldiers buried at the cemetery was stolen.
The thieves also attempted to steal the 1934 Abraham Lincoln bust statue.
Damage at the Carson cemetery was estimated to be more than $2 million, according to Supervisor Holly Mitchell, who requested the renewal of the reward.
The reward to catch the vandals behind the Carson cemetery heist has been increased from $25,000 to $30,000.
Compton’s Woodlawn Celestial Gardens cemetery, one of the oldest operating cemesteries in LA County, was also targeted by vandals, leaving behind hundreds of thousand dollars in damage.
The previous reward offer in the Woodlawn case was $20,000, but the board on Tuesday increased it to $25,000.
Anyone with information on the vandalism was urged to call the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department or Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477.