Police said the theft took place sometime between 3 and 4:30 a.m.<\/p>\n
Officers located the statue near the Coyote Creek Trail and Interstate 280 around 3:30 p.m. that day. A stolen commercial truck believed to have been used in the theft was also recovered.<\/p>\n
The “Thank You, America” monument features an American and a South Vietnamese soldier standing side-by-side. According to the city’s website, it is a symbol of Vietnamese-Americans’ gratitude to the Americans and Vietnamese who fought for freedom, democracy and human rights.<\/p>\n
“San Jos\u00e9’s Vietnamese Heritage Garden honors families who came here seeking freedom and a better life,” Mayor Matt Mahan said in a statement following the incident. “This statue commemorates the sacrifices behind that journey. This theft is an insult to our shared history.”<\/p>\n
On Wednesday, police released surveillance video<\/a> which showed the suspects breaking into the garden and using the truck to drag the statue from the scene. Officers said the truck was reported stolen from a business on the 1900 block of Monterey Road on June 18.<\/p>\n Surveillance footage of a theft of a bronze statue from the “Thank you, America” monument at the Vietnamese Heritage Garden, June 21, 2026.<\/p>\n San Jose Police Department<\/p>\n In a statement<\/a>, police urged members of the community to review their own personal security footage for any images or videos that could lead to the suspects.<\/p>\n “Even seemingly minor details may be helpful to the investigation,” police said.<\/p>\n Anyone who may recognize the suspects or who may have information about the incident is asked to contact Detective Cobb of the department’s Financial Crimes Unit over email at 4812@sanjoseca.gov<\/a> or call 408-277-4521.<\/p>\n![\"san-jose-vietnamese-statue-theft-070926.jpg](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/san-jose-vietnamese-statue-theft-070926.jpg#.jpeg\")
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