{"id":100979,"date":"2025-12-19T09:46:09","date_gmt":"2025-12-19T09:46:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/100979\/"},"modified":"2025-12-19T09:46:09","modified_gmt":"2025-12-19T09:46:09","slug":"police-arrest-men-suspected-of-stealing-plaques-from-mlk-statue-in-long-beach-park-long-beach-post-news-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/100979\/","title":{"rendered":"Police arrest men suspected of stealing plaques from MLK statue in Long Beach park \u2022 Long Beach Post News"},"content":{"rendered":"

Long Beach police said they have identified and arrested the two men responsible for the theft of plaques from Martin Luther King Jr. Park<\/a>.<\/p>\n

According to video footage shared by LBPD<\/a>, suspects stole two plaques from the park\u2019s statue in the early morning of Nov. 27. They loaded the large bronze plates into a truck bed and drove off.<\/p>\n

Police said they responded to the park on Monday, Dec. 1. Community members and elected officials raised<\/a> concern the next day, expressing outrage and disappointment over the theft, especially because it is not the first time the plaques have been stolen<\/a> and the park<\/a> vandalized<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Police said they reviewed security camera footage and license plate reader data and knocked on doors as they sought to identify the suspects. They arrested Sean Green, a 44-year-old resident of Long Beach, on Dec. 9 and booked him on suspicion of grand theft. Two days later, police arrested Anthony Martinez, a 34-year-old resident of Downey, and booked him on grand theft, conspiracy and drug possession.<\/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 said Chief of Police Wally Hebeish. He warned that LBPD will continue to identify and arrest those involved in \u201cthis type of insensitive criminal activity.\u201d<\/p>\n

The plaques have not yet been recovered, and LBPD said detectives are continuing their investigation. One longtime resident worried the plaques might be sold as scrap metal.<\/p>\n

Councilmember Suely Saro, who represents the 6th District, which includes the park, promised to replace the plaques and preserve the legacy they represent in the statement she released following their theft<\/a>. In the past, she has allocated thousands for the statue\u2019s restoration<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Residents in the surrounding area have called for more conversations with the city to protect the statue and park.<\/p>\n

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