Two large bronze plaques stolen from the Woodbridge Avenue Honor Roll and War Memorial have likely been scrapped already.
“These things are fairly easy to get rid of,” Police Chief Kevin Hale said during a Board of Aldermen meeting Tuesday. “I’m guessing the turnover was quick.”
But police are still investigating, Hale told the board. And the department keeps working with other towns that have seen similar thefts to figure out who stole the plaques and where they ended up.
Derby and Shelton had plaques stolen from memorials in November. And Waterbury reported a bronze statue was stolen from a cemetery this week.
“We’re sharing information and trying to get to the bottom of this,” Hale said.
He asked residents to keep an eye out for suspicious behavior, and to call police if they see anything out of the ordinary.
In Ansonia, officials are now talking about replacing the plaques — and how to pay the steep costs.
Mayor James Della Volpe said the two missing Ansonia plaques will cost $9,390 to replace.
Two plaques were stolen on Dec. 1 from the Woodbridge Avenue War Memorial. They listed Valley residents who served in World War II and Vietnam.
Della Volpe said he is working with the War Memorial committee to come up with ways to raise money to replace the plaques. The city plans to organize a fundraiser. Della Volpe has also heard from other veterans groups — including the American Legion in Bristol — who want to help out with the efforts.
The city is also researching whether its insurance policy covers the theft, which happened on city property.
Rewards
Even though the possibility of getting the plaques back might be slim, the Board of Aldermen will still consider a proposal to issue rewards for the information leading to an arrest in the war memorial thefts.
Click here to read more about that proposal.
The resolution was sent to the board’s “rewards committee” Tuesday.
Pete Giovacchino, a member of the war memorial committee, has said he wants any money spent to go toward security and replacing the plaques instead of a reward.
Copper Roof Fears
Meanwhile, the city is covering its new gazebo at the Riverwalk with copper, a metal thieves find irresistible.
New Board of Aldermen President Eugene Sharkey wants to install a video camera nearby to monitor it.
“I’d hate to drive by some day and see those sheets of copper missing,” Sharkey said.
Click play on the video at the top of the story to hear more of Sharkey’s comments.
Sharkey proposed installing a camera at the top of the flood control building to watch the Riverwalk’s entrance 24 hours a day. The board’s public works committee will review the proposal.
