Three people have been arrested in connection with several bronze plaques stolen in the city’s Harbor area as well as throughout greater Los Angeles, authorities announced Wednesday.

At the Port of Los Angeles, three bronze memorial plaques, including the American Merchant Marine Memorial, the International Warehouse and Longshore Union “Bloody Thursday” Memorial along Harbor Boulevard in San Pedro, and the Japanese Fishing Village Memorial on Terminal Island.

The three suspects were arrested in Southwest Los Angeles during a traffic stop, according to a news release from the Los Angeles Port Police.

“This disturbing series of thefts has had a significant emotional toll on members of our community whose loved ones were memorialized both in the maritime and fishing industry,” said Los Angeles Port Police Chief Tom Gazsi. “Additionally, we have found evidence linking the suspects to thefts of grave markers of community members that were lovingly interned at cemeteries in the region.

Thefts of this type have been on the rise in recent months. Because of the value of metals like bronze and copper, it is believed that the items are being stolen to be sold as scrap metal.

Early this year, more than 23 headstones and five bronze plaques, which held 150 nameplates, were stolen from Woodlawn Celestial Gardens Cemetery in Compton. Many of the headstones were also made with bronze and copper.

Just days later, it was discovered that about 100 plaques had been stolen from the mausoleum at Lincoln Memorial Park Cemetery in Carson, including a boxer Joe Luis plaque dedicated to World War II soldiers.

In late January, the bronze plaque marking the historic Bruce’s Beach Park in Manhattan Beach, installed in Feb. 2022, and worth an estimated $20,000 was also stolen.

“Some of these are memorial plaques that date back more than a century,” Gazsi added. “These dear souls shall never be forgotten.”

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Authorities said that port police and detectives spent weeks reviewing evidence, speaking with witnesses and following other leads that resulted in the arrest of the three suspects, who have yet to be identified.

Anyone with information about these incidents is encouraged to contact the Port of Los Angeles Police at 310-732-3500.

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