600-pound statue of a Tuskegee Airman recovered after being stolen in Detroit

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: Scripps News

Posted 6:25 PM, Oct 25, 2024


A statue honoring a World War II veteran has been recovered after it was stolen from a Detroit park in the cover of darkness.

Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan made the announcement on Friday, saying that police worked the area, learned when the statue was stolen and checked cameras. He said they found a large rental truck leaving the area at a suspicious time, then they went to the rental truck company, who said they had GPS tracking on the truck.

They found that the person who rented the truck was suspected in other robberies, and police arrested him. Duggan said the suspect turned over the statue and confessed. Police said more arrests were made, Scripps News Detroit reported.

The statue had just been erected in June at the city's Rouge Park, honoring the life of Lt. Col. Alexander Jefferson. Jefferson was a Tuskegee Airmen pilot, World War II POW and — later in life — a Detroit Public Schools teacher.


Read more: https://www.scrippsnews.com/us-news/crime/600-pound-statue-of-a-tuskegee-airman-recovered-after-being-stolen-in-detroit

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WXYZ
File photo - A statue of Lt. Col. Alexander Jefferson, a Tuskegee Airman, at Rouge Park in Detroit.




WXYZ
The statue of Lt. Col. Alexander Jefferson, a Tuskegee Airman, was stolen from Rouge Park in Detroit in October 2024.

[Ramsey Barner]

1. I met a Tuskegee Airman (a Wing Commander) in 2005 and shook his hand

He was in uniform and looked fit enough to jump right back into the cockpit. I thanked him for what he had done for the country. He told me he preferred to fly the P-47 rather than the P-51 because the P-47s could take more punishment from the German fighters and still keep flying.

The Tuskegee Airmen had to fight two wars — one against the Nazis, and one against the racial prejudice here at home.

[wolfie001]

6. It did have a more snub-nosed appearance

Like Jake LaMotta

[70sEraVet]

2. A statue paying homage to an American hero....

being cut down and stolen for scrap, is as DISHONORABLE as Lt. Col. Jefferson was HONORABLE!
This is similar to Jackie Robinson's statue being stolen a few weeks ago. Is there possibly a racist element to these crimes?

[MichMan]

8. Odds are against it

Detroit is 78% Black and 12% White. Scrappers have been pillaging the city for years.

People have to put cages around their AC units to try and prevent them from being stolen for scrap. Vacant houses are stripped of anything of any value before anyone can even get a chance to rehabilitate them. Thieves are climbing utility poles to steal copper so frequently, that the power company has a dedicated copper theft hotline.

According to the link below, stolen copper is even used as a street currency

https://www.mlive.com/news/detroit/2013/11/metal_dealer_stolen_copper_a_f.html

[JohnnyRingo]

3. Happy ending.

I imagine his confession will reflect on sentencing, but one has to consider the lengths he went to to commit this crime.
It'd be best if he said he was just trying to get a ransom or scrap instead of motivated by racism.

[twodogsbarking]

4. People will steal anything from anyone. Did I mention, well, relatives?

[wolfie001]

5. At least 3 or so were involved, right?

Just moving that thing, sheesh.

[murielm99]

7. Only the shoes were left.

How odd-looking.

I am glad they recovered it.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

9. Where's the easiest part to cut and still recover the most bronze? And good morning. NT