U.S. Rep. Chris Murphy is proposing a bill that would make stealing veterans memorials and transporting them across state lines a federal crime.
Murphy announced the proposed law at a press conference in New Britain Friday morning.
The announcement comes after a rash of memorial thefts in Ansonia, Derby, New Britain and Shelton.
“The recent theft of these memorials for scrap metal is sickening,” said Murphy. “With this bill, we’re going to be absolutely clear: to those who would deface or steal our communities’ memorials that honor the service and sacrifice of America’s veterans, we are putting you on notice.”
The thought is that the people responsible for stealing memorials in Connecticut may try to melt down the items at metal scrappers in surrounding states, since there has been so much attention on the crime in Connecticut.
U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro, is co-sponsoring the bill.
“I believe that we have a moral obligation to the brave men and women that have served our country. Their sacrifices have helped keep our families safe, and these memorials are a testament to their valor. I was shocked and angered by the recent rash of thefts of war memorials throughout Connecticut,” DeLauro said in a prepared statement.
The Protect Veterans’ Memorials Act will amend Section 2314 of title 18 of the Federal Code which makes it a federal felony to transport stolen goods of more than $5,000, subject to a maximum of 10 years imprisonment and a fine of double the amount of the item stolen or $250,000 — whichever is larger.
The Protect Veterans’ Memorials Act also removes the $5,000 threshold value of the stolen item, making Veterans’ monuments of any value subject to the federal theft statute.
In Shelton, someone stole a marker in memory of Commodore Isaac Hull that had been installed on a stone in the area of Howe Avenue and Kneen Street, near the Route 8 north entrance ramp. A city worker noticed it was missing Nov. 22. Click here to read more.
In Derby, police are still trying to catch the thieves who stole three bronze plaques at Witek Park dedicated to the memory of Private Frank P. Witek, a Congressional Medal of Honor recipient who died in battle during World War II. Veterans noticed the plaques were missing Nov. 29. Click here to read more about the Derby theft.
In Ansonia, thieves ripped off a War Memorial containing the names of people who served in World War II and Vietnam. Click here to read more about that theft.
GOP Wants Reward Offered In Ansonia
Four Ansonia Aldermen want the city to offer a $1,000 reward for information about the theft of two bronze plaques at the Ansonia War Memorial on Woodbridge Avenue.
The Aldermen — Republicans John Marini, Charlie Stowe, Phillip Tripp and Joan Radin — have drafted a resolution asking the city to create the reward and pay for it from the city’s claims budget.
The resolution is expected to be discussed at the upcoming Board of Aldermen meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 13.
Derby Reward
In Derby, resident Leo Moscato offered a $500 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction of the thieves.
Derby City Hall employee Patty Finn offered another $500 reward in honor of her brother, Philip John “P.J.” Finn.
“P.J.” Finn died of a heart attack last December at age 53. He was in the U.S. Navy in the late 1970s and early 1980s, Patty Finn said.
Lt. Sal Frosceno, spokesman for the Derby Police Department, said any reward system would have to be created independent of the police department.
Past Ansonia Debate
While private rewards are sometimes offered after serious crimes, Ansonia officials have grappled with whether it is the city’s place to offer its own rewards.
Marini’s first proposal (which you can read about here) brought out several questions from the rest of the Board of Aldermen:
- Do rewards actually prompt more, and accurate, tips?
- Would people start asking for rewards for every crime?
- How do you set a price for rewards? What is a person’s life worth?
- Is the reward undermining the work that the police department is already doing?
Another big question: Where would the money come from to actually pay out the rewards?
Those answers haven’t been definitively answered in Ansonia, but Marini said he hopes the proposal will prompt more discussion about it.
