Bronze kneeling soldier stolen from Paramount memorial, sparking veteran outrage

In Paramount, California, a bronze kneeling soldier statue was ripped from its base and stolen from the Armed Forces Memorial Plaza at City Hall on Aug. 18, despite a warning that the site was under round-the-clock surveillance. Police reported that the thieves used cutting tools to free the several-hundred-pound figure in less than four minutes before fleeing in a dark vehicle, and the bronze is estimated to be worth roughly $100,000.

The monument, erected in 2024 near American Legion Post 134, has drawn anger from veterans, including Vietnam veteran Frank Walker, who said he would kill the perpetrators if possible, and American Legion member Manuel Covarrubias, who called the theft a “kick in the stomach.” The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department is handling the investigation but declined to release video of the suspects. This theft follows a previous vandalism incident last year when thieves sawed off the statue’s rifle, causing tens of thousands of dollars in damage.