LONG BEACH, CA \u2014 Weeks after historic plaques were stolen from a Long Beach park statue, two arrests have been made, police announced Thursday.<\/p>\n
Sean Green, 44, of Long Beach, and Anthony Martinez, 34, of Long Beach, were each arrested on a count of grand theft<\/a> in connection with plaques stolen from Martin Luther King Jr. Park, the Long Beach Police Department said. Martinez is facing additional counts of conspiracy and possession of methamphetamine, according to police.<\/p>\n \u201cThe theft and vandalism targeting the statue of Martin Luther King Jr. at MLK Park is unacceptable and will not be tolerated,\u201d Chief of Police Wally Hebeish said in a written statement. <\/p>\n The two men are accused of stealing \u201cseveral plaques from the MLK statue\u201d in the early morning hours of Nov. 27, police said.<\/p>\n \u201cThey then placed the plaques in the bed of a truck and left the area,\u201d police said.<\/p>\n In a statement shared on Facebook, Council Member Suely Saro<\/a> called the theft of the plaques a \u201ctroubling incident.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI am deeply saddened and outraged by the theft,\u201d Saro said. \u201cSuch acts not only disrespect our shared history but also impact the entire community.<\/p>\n Saro said she\u2019s committed to having the plaques replaced to preserve \u201cthe legacy they represent.\u201d<\/p>\n